Blessing of Peace
The gray-haired female student, Kim Ra-hee, only knew how to wield this one blessing. She couldn't even manage the strength enhancement blessing that a three-year-old could use. So she honed the Blessing of Peace to its absolute limits. After endless effort, she finally mastered the high-grade version.
Excluding Seong Ha-yeon with her 'Purifying Blood,' no one could stay conscious after taking Kim Ra-hee's blessing. Everyone hit by it collapsed asleep on the spot. No exceptions.
...Until now.
"Huu, huu...!"
Kim Ra-hee stared at Do Seon-woo, who was breathing raggedly. He'd shaken off the drowsiness with deep breaths and refused to sleep. He was the first to stay awake after a direct hit from high-grade Blessing of Peace.
Did he tank it with sheer willpower? Is he insane?
High-grade Blessing of Peace brought drowsiness too overwhelming for willpower alone—drowsiness that willpower truly couldn't overcome. Enduring it demanded immense mental strength. Or a mental disorder so severe sleep was impossible. Either way, he was dangerous.
Suddenly, Kim Ra-hee felt fear toward the man before her.
*
The gray-haired girl who'd cast high-grade Blessing of Peace. Her name was Kim Ra-hee—I could tell from the name tag on her left chest. Anyway, her blessing packed a punch. The drowsiness it induced was brutally intense yet irresistibly sweet. Even I nearly blacked out and dozed off at first. No amount of willpower or grit could've held it back.
But suddenly, my eyes flew open. My foggy mind cleared as I steadied my breathing. No clue why. I couldn't comprehend it myself.
That woman's blessing is closer to a curse than a blessing. So I absorbed it.
Legba finally explained.
As you know, Loa that handle curses dwell in your body. Absorbing blessings or curses is child's play. Well, no altar means it wasn't perfect.
I wanted to thank Legba on the spot, but Kim Ra-hee and Seong Ha-yeon were still ahead. No time for chit-chat. They were the 'attackers' here to smash our cart and boot us out. I had to defend it. Good thing I had options.
Draw a low-grade strength enhancement blessing circle. Or tap Bosu's power and shove them off physically. Bosu'd last seconds, but enough to scatter them. Worst case, grab the cart and bolt.
First, I sketched the low-grade strength enhancement blessing circle. Light flooded out, wrapping my body. Power surged—way stronger than before. I lumbered toward Kim Ra-hee and Seong Ha-yeon. Kim Ra-hee scrambled back in panic.
"W-Wait. Wait a sec! Stay back. I said stay back!"
Thud.
Terror-stricken, she'd tripped on a root while retreating. Sprawled, she stared blankly and spoke.
"Can't you just... let us go?"
Big doe eyes pleading up at me. Pitiful act, but obvious fakery. A pro liar like me saw right through her game.
"Why? Bring more friends back?"
I stepped closer. No way I'd cut them loose. They'd return with backup for payback—that'd suck. Luck saved me this time; no guarantees next. Gotta neutralize them. Tie to a tree or whatever. Normally nuts, but she was spooked. Easy prey without fight left.
"Th-Then... cooperation? How 'bout teaming up?"
Cornered, she threw a curveball.
"Cooperation?"
"Yeah! Honestly, you guys are a Kim Jin-seo solo show, right? That Go Jun-min—Piss-min?—is still out cold. No first place for you like this. Wanna go for gold? Florence practical first place. Epic, huh?"
She had a point. And I needed high cleric status. First here? Big step.
"Cooperate and we get first?"
"Totally! Luck for first, guaranteed top three. Killer plan."
No lie in her face. Plan real. Top three? Tempting as hell.
"But why trust you?"
Trust first. No proof they wouldn't stab us in the back? No deal.
"We'll give you our core. Trust us now?"
Familiar voice from behind. Seong Ha-yeon. Aloof, haughty—same as middle school.
"Our core? To us?"
"If you cooperate, gladly."
Core's a win con. No suspicion left. I flashed my dumbest, most innocent grin.
"Plan first. Decide after."
"Phew. Fine."
Kim Ra-hee dusted leaves off her uniform, stood, and spilled the plan. I listened quietly.
"—Solid, right?"
I nodded.
"Good. We're in."
"Group 100 and 32: allies now. No backstabbing, no doubts. We're ride-or-die."
Serious face. I nodded; she handed the core. I slotted it in our cart.
"Five minutes. We'll drag our cart back."
They left. I watched, chewing the plan.
Theory: flawless. Smooth sailing? First easy. Variables? Still high score.
But fatal flaw. Accident or ploy? Time'd tell.
*
500m from finish. Seong Ha-yeon and Do Seon-woo hauled the cart. Silent, dutiful.
Plan simple: They park cart near line. Other three (sans Kim Jin-seo) hunt cores—max haul. Return on time, load up, cross. Joint first for 32/100.
Edge: numbers. Guard cart safe, snag more cores. Smart splits for speed—blitzed rivals.
"Wait here."
Finish-adjacent thicket. Hidey-hole/wait spot. Seong Ha-yeon snapped curt, grumpy. Unintended slip.
"Just wait?"
"Yeah. Nap or whatever."
Do Seon-woo nodded blankly. Eerily blank face. Zero suspicion.
Time dragged. 1min, 5, 10. She checked watch.
13:30. Black fog rolled in, reeking ash and iron. Demonic mist.
So Do-jin skipped this: timed demonic fog outbreaks. Training fake, but debilitating—inhale, weaken, collapse.
Seong Ha-yeon's 'Purifying Blood' immune. Do Seon-woo solo victim.
"What the—sudden fog?"
His flustered voice through haze. She smirked behind hand.
Joint first? Fake. Feign alliance, lure to fog, DQ 100, solo first for 32.
Glittery team talk? Cover for premeditated betrayal.
"Sorry. Gotta ace this practical."
Muttered to self. Guilt-soother—he'd be out cold. Job done. Await Kim Ra-hee.
Leaned on cart, fog fading patiently.
Fog thinned. Gaze hit. Through wisps: crouched figure staring.
"Figured why lure here."
Fog dispersed; he sharpened. Bottomless eyes, zero expression. Beyond creepy. Spine chilled. Vision blacked.
"Betray from jump."
"Ah, eek...!"
Shock-fear cocktail wrecked her breath. Racing pulse hurled mind afar.
Eyes drooped. Through slits: Do Seon-woo's icy smirk flashed.
Thud.
Memory snuffed.
(To be continued next episode)