Chapter 167
Chapter 167
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 167
Chapter Title: Nayeo-ju Saves the World
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I instinctively clamped my hand over my mouth, but it was no use.
Blood seeped out between my fingers, dripping onto the floor in heavy splats.
"Cough!"
Suddenly, it felt like I'd been dunked underwater—I couldn't breathe properly.
To even get a breath, I had to keep spitting out the blood flooding my throat.
"Nayeo-ju-ssi!"
Seo Yu-baek rushed over, his face even paler than mine as I hacked up blood.
I thrust out my one clean hand, signaling him to stay back.
Don't come closer—you'll get blood on your white coat.
But instead, he grabbed that hand with both of his.
"Cough! Cough!"
Unable to straighten up, I kept coughing up blood-tinged phlegm, but the cool warmth of Seo Yu-baek's hands enveloped mine.
Seo Yu-baek's precious mana was just draining away uselessly.
"Cough! I-it's no, cough, use!"
The moment I said it, I regretted it.
I realized this situation was no different from the one he'd described from two years ago.
The day none of his skills could save Hunter Kim Min-jeong.
"Nayeo-ju-ssi..."
And sure enough.
Seo Yu-baek's face had gone rigid.
His hands gripping mine were trembling outright now.
"It's okay, heh, cough! It'll be over soon."
Don't freak out.
But the more I tried to reassure him, the worse his expression got.
He's gonna cry at this rate.
"Nayeo-ju-ssi, wh-what do we do?"
With his healing skills useless now, Seo Yu-baek was just a regular person—no different from anyone else.
All he could do was fetch a towel from somewhere and keep holding my hand.
"Cough, cough!"
At least this damn system didn't seem intent on actually killing me—even amid the blood-coughing, there were brief moments to catch my breath.
"Haa. Don't waste mana on skills for nothing. Cough!"
Not that it stopped the coughing from starting right back up.
Over the 15 minutes the status effect lasted, Seo Yu-baek had to grab another towel.
And finally, after what felt like nearly crossing the River Jordan a dozen times, it ended.
"Haa. Thought I was a goner."
My whole body ached like I'd been beaten to a pulp from all the coughing and hacking up blood.
"Is it over now?"
"Yeah... heugh."
The bleeding had stopped, but my stamina was down to just 2.
This could actually kill me for real.
As I shakily opened my sub-space with trembling hands to grab Im Cheong-su's potion—
"Whoa."
It was like that phrase "healed clean as new"—my blurry vision and aching body cleared up in an instant.
S-rank lives up to the name.
A realm I couldn't even dream of touching while my own skills were still growing.
"Teacher, you're amazing..."
"Does this happen every time?"
Huh.
Seo Yu-baek was angry.
I tossed the bloody towel I was still clutching and waved both hands frantically.
"No, no! This was a total special case. If it happened every time, I'd be useless as a healer."
"But it could happen again."
"Um, it's fine. I won't actually die."
The system's shenanigans pissed me off, sure—but even when it hurt like death, it never actually killed me.
That's the key point.
"It's not fine."
Seo Yu-baek said firmly.
But the way he gently wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth was endlessly tender.
Is this teacher mad or not?
As I sneaked peeks at his face amid his confusing reactions, he sighed and spoke.
"I'll get you some clothes. Change into these—they're patient gowns, but still."
His back looked unmistakably upset as he abruptly left the room.
"Sigh."
I'm not an idiot; I could read the room.
Seo Yu-baek wasn't mad at me.
He was mad at himself—for being able to do nothing but hold my hand.
"Everyone's too damn nice for their own good."
People like me live life a little more half-assed.
I roughly wiped my crusted hands with a towel and clicked my tongue.
After changing in the bathroom and coming out, the room was quiet—Seo Yu-baek had apparently given me space.
"Patient gown for real."
Having received full healing and feeling perfectly fine while wearing one felt so awkward.
I folded my ruined clothes roughly and set them aside, then approached the bed to check on Hunter Kim Min-jeong.
"All better."
She looked like she was just peacefully sleeping now.
No more rampage symptoms, and her external injuries under the bandages were probably gone too.
"Heh."
Yeah, I can pull this off too.
But something had been nagging at me since before the coughing fit started.
The system message that popped up.
The word "yet" implied I'd learn it eventually.
It could also mean I wasn't qualified right now.
'Because of the synchronization rate?'
That was the only thing that came to mind.
The 'synchronization rate' I'd seen every time my skills leveled up.
What even was it?
How did you raise it?
As I inwardly cursed the system—voicelessly, since it wouldn't answer—Seo Yu-baek returned to the room.
He must've washed up too; his fair face was still a bit damp.
"Teacher! See? Hunter Kim Min-jeong's all good now!"
Honestly, I wanted to brag a little.
I'd healed someone too, after all.
"Yes. Thank you, Nayeo-ju-ssi."
Back to his usual calm self, Seo Yu-baek examined her and nodded.
'Now that she's stable, I should mention it.'
I cleared my throat and spoke up.
"Teacher, please don't tell anyone about me coughing up blood today."
It was a random status effect that wouldn't happen with proper stamina management.
But a penalty was still a penalty.
No good would come from my skill's weakness getting out.
"...You want doctor-patient confidentiality?"
"More like loyalty between friends."
Invoking doctor-patient privilege was fine, but this felt like it'd land better with him.
And sure enough, Seo Yu-baek looked caught off guard.
After a moment of speechlessness, he gave in with a resigned expression.
"Nayeo-ju-ssi, you're really too soft."
"Oh, I hear that a lot."
In this harsh world, being called soft was a compliment.
Right then—
"Ugh..."
A small groan came from the bed.
"Hunter Kim Min-jeong."
Seo Yu-baek instantly switched back to doctor mode and strode to her side.
"Are you coming around?"
"Is this... a hospital?"
"Yes. National Awakener Hospital."
"Ah..."
She glanced between Seo Yu-baek and the room, then asked,
"What about Yona? Is Fantasia's Hunter Yona okay?"
Justice Guild underground training ground.
A drop of sweat fell from Seong Yona's forehead as she dodged arrows fired by the machine.
It was nearly dawn, but that didn't matter.
After Nayeo-ju left for the hospital, mounting anxiety had kept her from sleeping anyway—so she'd chosen to keep her body busy instead.
The machine she'd manifested detected her position and fired an arrow.
She twisted her upper body to evade it, gritting her teeth.
'I shouldn't have run away back then.'
She was angry at her weak self from two years ago.
At herself for choosing to flee alone in fear, for lacking the courage to step forward and speak the truth.
"R-run... Yona, run..."
Even in rampage, that voice had endlessly urged her to flee.
It still rang clearly in her ears.
Whoosh!
She rolled across the ground to dodge an arrow aimed straight at her heart, clenching her fist.
If only I'd been a little stronger then.
If only I hadn't given in to fear and used all my abilities.
Endless regrets and thoughts chained together.
That was her mistake.
She belatedly noticed the arrow now targeting her head.
Too late to dodge.
Startled, Seong Yona activated her skill immediately.
The space behind the incoming arrow compressed, slightly increasing the distance to her.
But it was only for an instant.
At the machine's maximum set speed, it wasn't enough time to evade.
Seong Yona squeezed her eyes shut.
Bracing for the horrific pain to come.
But no matter how long she waited, the pain never arrived.
"...Huh?"
Peeking her eyes open, she saw the arrow.
Frozen mid-air, just as it had been flying.
"Why is it..."
She could manifest sub-spaces and manipulate space, but she had no power over time's flow.
So why?
In this unprecedented situation, Seong Yona cautiously stood and approached.
Just as she reached out to touch it—
The door burst open.
"Hunter Kim Min-jeong has woken up."
Kang Han entered the training ground with the news.
Thwack!
As if time resumed, the arrow shot forward and embedded in the wall.
Seong Yona hurriedly shut down the training machine and asked him,
"Just now... you said Min-jeong unnie is awake?"