#28. Chapter 7. Yoo Hae-bin (2)
“Uwaaaaaah……!”
Yoo Hae-bin’s shrill scream echoed through the air. Seo Yeon-hee, watching her get helplessly launched into the sky, turned to me.
“A two-hundred-meter radius centered on that kid. No one outside will notice whatever happens in there.”
“Thanks.”
I picked up the convenience store bag she’d dropped and thanked her. Peeking inside, I found a microwaved chicken bento and a red cola. The bento choice and the drink—she really knew her stuff. I was starting to like her taste when Seo Yeon-hee asked, as if confirming one last time.
“But is this really all you need? I could help more while I’m at it. She didn’t seem weak.”
“That much?”
For Seo Yeon-hee to say she wasn’t weak—that meant she could hold her own as a full Phantom member. From her tone, Yoo Hae-bin seemed even stronger.
“Of course, you’d win…… but she won’t be a pushover. She’d give you more trouble than Yeom Ui-jun when you cut off his arm.”
He’d been a has-been by then, but a second-year high schooler stronger than the weakest of the 36 Heroes……
“She’s no ordinary human, is she?”
“Who knows? You’re the one testing her.”
Seo Yeon-hee narrowed her eyes. It felt like she’d step in if I asked now. I handed her the bag and curtly refused.
“I’ll finish before the bento gets cold.”
Support from her would make it easier, especially since she was in good condition today. Even as a pure mage, she’d be a huge help. But…… this had to be handled on my own, no interference.
Seo Yeon-hee’s lips curved into a grin.
“Alright then. Go get her.”
“Watch for a bit.”
Whoosh— As I shot into the sky, Yoo Hae-bin, freed from her restraints, growled.
“This is your last warning, seriously. I won’t tell Lee Sea or anyone, so just go back. If you cross the line even a little more, I’ll—”
Pew!
The mana bolt I fired grazed her cheek, drawing a thin line of blood down her pale skin. An intentional miss. With a sneer, I asked,
“Still haven’t figured it out? You have to fight me.”
“……Until one of us dies?”
Her voice was low, resolute. I had no intention of going that far, but I needed to gauge her strength and complete the quest, so I replied with ominous intent.
“If you can, try it.”
“……Fine. Don’t regret this.”
She took a deep breath and clasped her hands. Thick blue mana gathered, illuminating the dark night, then she bellowed.
“---- --- --!”
Unintelligible words, more beastly roar than human speech.
And then.
Kaboom!
A mana bolt blazing with brilliant light hurtled toward me.
Tang! Boom!
Powerful, with no gaps between shots—I calmly deflected the barrage. The bolts I repelled were absorbed into Seo Yeon-hee’s barrier and vanished. Yoo Hae-bin, showing no fatigue, shouted again.
“Haaap!”
A clear, ringing voice. The sky sparkled. Those prior shots were just probes for this. Her lingering mana across the entire barrier space linked up.
“Bet you can’t dodge this!”
Up, down, forward, back, left, right—a full-sphere barrage targeted me. As she said, no dodging or blocking. Take it or die.
I chose the former.
Kraaa!
Black light surged from my shoulders, crushing and dissipating the blue mana.
Thud!
Kicking off the air, I closed in on the startled Yoo Hae-bin.
“That all you got?”
“Tch!”
Her hand dipped into her uniform pocket. A clear opening to sever an arm, but I feigned ignorance. A small metal lump morphed into a sword stabbing at my heart.
Vreeeng—
I drew my own sword the same way and parried effortlessly.
> <Kill the Evil> Volume 1 Second Sub-Quest Issued
> Clear Condition: Physically and completely subdue Jeil High School 2nd-year Yoo Hae-bin by midnight on March 28th
> Clear Reward: 2 OX Questions (Answers may be refused based on importance)
> Additional rewards available, scaled by relationship with Yoo Hae-bin
No clear notification yet. If it were just knock out or subdue, I’d have it done. But complete submission…… until she fully gives up.
Kraaaaa!
That’s when explosive mana, far beyond before, erupted from Yoo Hae-bin.
“Hngh……!”
A frail whimper escaped her. Her mana reserves and control already dismissed A-rank hunters; now it was two or three times stronger. Her breathing ragged, she glared—her mana-glowing pupils narrowed to slits.
Seo Yeon-hee had noticed. Her “stronger than Yeom Ui-jun” included this.
“I won’t…… apologize to Lee Sea.”
Muttering to herself, she kicked off the air.
Boom!
Shiiiiek—!
The sound lagged. After a second split into fractions, her fist was at my face.
Crack!
I blocked, but the force flung me back. Seo Yeon-hee’s voice rang in my ear.
The barrier hid everything inside. But patrols swept Seoul’s skies nightly; if they entered, it’d change. A patrol was inbound soon……
Time limit was days away anyway. Time to use it.
Lee Dojin
[HP: 3,856/4,371] [MP: 4,263/4,809]
[Physical] Strength 75 / Agility 81 / Stamina 74 / Durability 72
[Aptitudes] Intelligence 7.2 / Charm 8.0 / Will 6.9 / Perception 7.5
World Guardian had no status windows. Or rather, none public—only internal benchmarks I set as author. HP + MP at 10,000 for 36 Heroes level. Physical 70 = S-rank, 80 = Heroes, endgame Lee Si-hyeok and Jeong Se-bin over 90. Aptitudes: 5 average, 6 prodigy, 7 genius, 8 historic talent, 9 near-impossible for humans. Seo Yeon-hee’s charm was 9.7, world’s top beauty. Not just looks, but only she exceeded 9.
After reincarnating, no visuals—until parents’ funeral hologram. And now.
[Unclaimed Rewards]
1) HP and MP Points 666p
2) Physical Points 13p
3) Aptitude Points 4p
All rewards claimed!
I converted all unused points. Pre-planned allocation: Half to HP/MP each. Strength +4, Agility +5, Stamina +2, Durability +2. Intelligence +1.5, Will +1.1, Perception +1.4. Skipped charm. Max perception to 8.9 first.
Lee Dojin
[HP: 4,189/4,704] [MP: 4,596/5,142]
[Physical] Strength 79 / Agility 86 / Stamina 76 / Durability 74
[Aptitudes] Intelligence 8.7 / Charm 8.0 / Will 8.0 / Perception 8.9
Not minor changes. Even prime Yeom Ui-jun…… I’d have the edge now. Yoo Hae-bin, even more so.
Boom!
With boosted mana and strength, I gripped her fist tight.
Shwick—!
Her kick flew; I raised my knee.
Thwack!
“Ack!”
Even in fierce combat, she winced in pain and yelled desperately.
“Timeout! Hit my bone, my bone!”
“……You think this is a game?”
“You’re not trying to kill me anyway! You would’ve by now!”
“……”
Sharp instincts, quick wit. A merit, maybe. But her spirit wasn’t broken. She readjusted, glaring with slitted pupils.
“If this doesn’t work, I’m tapped out. Do whatever—fry me like chicken or enslave me.”
“……”
Chicken aside, why would I enslave you? Though I planned to use her similarly……
But ignoring her joke, massive mana swirled around her. Hands clasped toward me, she roared.
“--- ---!”
Words unlike any human language. Seo Yeon-hee’s voice echoed.
I knew. Black wings unfurled before she finished.
“……!”
Yoo Hae-bin’s eyes widened, realizing what it meant.
But……
> <Kill the Evil> Volume 1, 'Academy's Genius Magic Swordsman' in progress
> Volume 1 Tags: [Academy] [Romance X] [Character Focus]
> Progress: 72.6%
> 'Final Boss' Lee Dojin's Unique Quest Issued
> Clear Condition: At Volume 1 end, exceed protagonist ---'s National Academy 1 internal attention without Phantom affiliation exposed
> Clear Rewards scaled by achievement rate
I hadn’t violated “Phantom affiliation not exposed.” Exposure means outsiders finding out. Insiders? Doesn’t apply. Even for recruits.
Jeil High 2nd-year Yoo Hae-bin. Top student, promising Awakener. In Kill the Evil, not the protagonist’s trusty ally—but a backstabber, Final Boss’s minion at key moments. Protagonist too green to notice; Boss recruits a useful pawn. Readers wouldn’t know yet.
Grooooar—
Her mana wave hit. Wings wrapped, I pierced the center……
Kraa!
Her mana blast cut off.
“Uh, um……”
Limp, blinking, she tried to speak. I placed a hand on her head.
“Sleep.”
“Hweee! Ah, aaah……”
She screamed briefly, then slumped. Grabbing her nape, we descended. So light? Barely 55kg at under 170cm—not underweight, but……
“Gotta eat well to grow.”
Her bento’s mine, I thought, landing. Seo Yeon-hee cracked open the cola, humming.
“Finished quick so the bento wouldn’t cool?”
At her teasing, I stared.
“Why?”
“……No, nothing.”
Someone bought it, so permission?……
“Why the glare, Dojin? I was gonna buy more.”
“Of course, sis. You’re always right, sis.”
“Calling me sis to mock…… you nailed me.”
We bantered, smiling, then moved as she asked.
“Reveal now okay? What if she hates it?”
“Mind control if needed. Or I’ll handle.”
“Dojin……”
“Yeah?”
“You seemed really bad just now.”
“What, after all this time?”
Chat ended casually; we took to the sky.
Yoo Hae-bin opened her eyes. First, her body.
‘……Fine.’
Mana flowed normally. But restraints bound her; drawing mana would hurt bad. She knew without asking.
Then.
Step, step.
A man approached in the dimness. No use, but she tried.
“Untie this, please.”
“Talk first.”
His face sharpened close. Handsomest she’d seen. Lee Sea’s brother, Magic Engineering professor Lee Dojin. He knelt, eye-level, blunt.
“What are you?”
“Sigh……”
No hiding. Not killing her, so okay.
“……A refugee.”