Chapter 14. Silver Demon Mountain (5)

And there was one more similarity that Lee Sea recalled. 'The upper face.'

The woman in the mural was shrouded in mysterious mist, making her facial features indistinct. But you could tell a red glow emanated from the upper part of her face, and Phantom's Rabbit Mask looked similar. The appearance she'd seen when they crossed paths near the auction house. Flowing silver hair, and the eye area of her masked, mist-covered face... strikingly bright red. Plus, their slender builds matched, so based purely on what was visible, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they looked very much alike...

'That's weird...'

That was as far as Lee Sea's thoughts went on the matter. Just that their appearances were coincidentally similar. After all, how many slender women were there in the world? And hair and eye colors were body parts most directly affected by mana. Top-tier Awakeners could easily manifest red eyes or silver hair. For instance, Russia's hero Andrey Ilyin normally had black eyes, but when he strongly manifested his mana, they turned a deep blue. That's why he earned the epithet Blue Eyes.

Which meant... you could also disguise your appearance by changing your eye and hair colors. If you were a top Awakener who could freely manipulate mana.

She had no idea about the woman in the mural, but Phantom's Rabbit Mask had probably intentionally created those distinctive features. So it would be strange to speculate further just because of a few physical similarities, and in truth, Lee Sea hadn't even consciously thought about it. They just looked alike—interesting. End of story.

There were plenty of detailed reasons for that judgment, but they all happened quietly in her subconscious. Lee Sea tore her gaze from the receding cavern and looked much closer instead.

At Lee Dojin, who was running with a tense expression, holding her tightly in his arms. She was relieved he looked unharmed, but one worry lingered.

'What if I'm too heavy?'

He had mana issues, but Lee Dojin was still an Awakener. Carrying one person while running should be fine. But his mana didn't gather well, so the load he carried needed to be light—at minimum. And lately, she felt like she'd gained weight. She hadn't checked the scale—she didn't want to face reality—but her intake had increased, and clothes that used to fit loosely were now hugging her body like magic. It had to be true.

Positively speaking, it was growth. But she'd undeniably put on weight, and Lee Sea inwardly regretted it a bit late.

'I shouldn't have eaten everything he gave me.'

Snacks, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠meals, treats—she couldn't refuse... no, she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hadn't refused anything from Lee Dojin, devouring it all like a baby bird taking food from its parent. She hadn't realized it would burden her in a situation like this.

Getting helped out by Jin Yu-ri or Yoo Hae-bin wasn't even an option, so she could only pray desperately in her heart. Please don't let her be heavy enough to slow her brother down.

That was when some power flowed into her.

'Uh...?'

She'd depleted her mana too rapidly and was in temporary exhaustion. But suddenly, strength surged. A sensation different from her own recovery. It seemed to be power flowing from the mana stones in the ceiling of the cavern they'd just left, cracking amid the ruin's collapse.

Light flickered from that now-distant place, stretching toward them like heat haze.

"You with me?"

Lee Dojin noticed her eyes sharpening and asked immediately. Still cradled in his arms, she squirmed and spoke up.

"...Put me down. I'm okay now."

"Professor! It's not blocked over there!"

Yoo Hae-bin shouted loudly, pointing somewhere. The area they were in now had far less collapse than the mural cavern, and the passage visible in the distance looked relatively intact.

Even while running, Lee Dojin replied to Lee Sea in a gentle tone.

"I'll set you down once we're out. Stay still."

Then he tightened his grip on her, as if shielding her with his own body, determined to protect his sister even if he got hurt.

Only then did Lee Sea notice the deep gash on his right arm, crusted with dried blood. It looked painful. Was he okay? But as if reading her mind, he explained calmly.

"Just a scratch. Bleeding stopped, doesn't hurt. Don't worry."

"Okay..."

The four entered a narrow passage. Collapse was progressing from the cavern they'd passed, but the path ahead was relatively safe. Yoo Hae-bin quickly called out.

"I'll take the rear! You go front, Professor and Lee Sea in the middle!"

"I know without you saying!"

By then, Lee Sea had recovered enough. She watched Yoo Hae-bin block the mana storms charging from behind and Jin Yu-ri swing her hands fiercely, smashing every mechanical trap that flew at them.

'...'

It felt a little off. Yoo Hae-bin made sense—she seemed half-hearted usually but achieved great things, so full focus brought this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠level of performance. No surprise there.

But Jin Yu-ri... was completely different from the one Lee Sea knew.

'She's... fighting really well.'

As far as Lee Sea knew, Jin Yu-ri couldn't handle mana on this scale. She now knew it was because of her Immune Body, but even so, not just in total quantity but in attributes and lineages, Jin Yu-ri lagged behind Lee Sea and Yoo Hae-bin.

Or she had... but now, it didn't seem that way.

Boom!Kaboom!

Red and blue mana roiled massively in Jin Yu-ri's right and left hands. Compound attributes, compound lineages. The output far exceeded what Lee Sea knew as her maximum. And it didn't look like she'd activated her Immune Body.

Yet Jin Yu-ri pressed on without tiring, and sensing the unidentified power still flowing into her, Lee Sea guessed inwardly.

'Is it affecting her too?'

A gift from the ruins to the two who'd seen the mural? If so, it felt just like a fateful encounter from a novel, thought Lee Sea...

Kabooooom!

Bursting through the debris blocking the passage, the four stepped into a fairly wide space again. Now able to stand properly, Lee Sea pushed against Lee Dojin's chest before he could speak and stood on her own.

Yoo Hae-bin muttered awkwardly.

"We passed another passage here... but, uh... it was there before... now it's gone."

Gone meant no passage visible. The place was nearly rubble now, and huge rocks blocked what might have been an exit.

Calling it an exit felt wrong. No way forward. And thud, rumble...! The entire ruin's collapse loomed.

'...It's cut off.'

Lee Sea bit her lip. The mana from the ruins had stopped flowing into her. No more to give, probably. She approached the grim-faced Jin Yu-ri.

"No more coming for you?"

"...You too?"

The brief exchange confirmed they—and each other—had been receiving mana from the ruins. Meaningless now, with supply cut and collapse imminent.

Rooooar—

A massive, ominous roar unlike any before shook the space. Debris whirled from crumbling spots everywhere.

The mana storm... was approaching this place.

Lee Sea ran back to Lee Dojin. She stepped in front protectively, extending only her right hand backward. It touched his right hand.

An eternity, or so it felt—years since she'd last grasped it. Not since she was a little girl adoring her big brother.

"Barrier, only on Oppa. I'll block it."

In that moment, nothing else filled her mind. Just protect Oppa, get him out safely.

Jin Yu-ri and Yoo Hae-bin joined the siblings. They poured out all their mana, forming a sturdy shield.

And.

Shwoooo—

Blinding light erupted, blurring vision and all senses...

And the next instant.

"Ah..."

Lee Sea heard Jin Yu-ri's startled exclamation. Looking up, she saw blue sky. Earth underfoot. Birdsong, clean air, natural light pouring in.

Outdoors everywhere she looked.

Heart pounding wildly, Lee Sea turned her head with effort.

Nothing. Only Jin Yu-ri beside her. No Yoo Hae-bin...

"Oppa...?"

No Lee Dojin either.

***

Right after Lee Sea and Jin Yu-ri vanished.

Shiiiine...

The dazzling light settled. Yoo Hae-bin looked around in surprise.

"Huh?"

I took in the hologram message clearly, including the follow-up, and told Yoo Hae-bin.

"Stay here a sec."

"Huh? What about you, Professor? Wait, where'd they go?"

"I sent them out. They'll be back soon, so wait here. If anyone comes—which they won't—say I went to investigate how to get out."

"Wait, you sent them out? How? Explain to me too—"

"No time. I'll tell you later. Just wait."

"What bad thing are you up to now..."

I ignored her grumbling and retraced our path.

Thud!Kaboom!

I burst through the chaotic piles of stones and debris at full speed. Not much time left. Not for other reasons—for Lee Sea. She'd worry if she realized only she and Jin Yu-ri got out.

They'd entered separately, so maybe the same on exit—she could hold hope briefly. But once convinced I hadn't made it... she'd worry a lot.

I had to gather all info here first. Once out, the investigation team would probe, and if the site was exposed, moving freely would be hard.

Even if it meant upsetting Lee Sea by leaving first—something I hated.

But before she worried too much. As fast as possible. That was my best plan.

Kabooooom!

Clearing the debris blocking the narrow corridor, the space where I'd fought the Long-lived Species opened before me. Racing to the end, I gathered mana in my hand and slammed the wall.

Boom!

The barely holding wall crumbled, collapse following, revealing the severed space.

Where Lee Sea and Jin Yu-ri had been. Arriving, I drew up mana.

The message announcing the first seal of the Black Heart breaking. That's when I gained three new skills and mana.

I formalized Mana Absorption, which I'd had but unlisted. Black Heart ranked up, granting Entity Absorption. Plus, I stole the Long-lived Species' ability for Manifestation.

The power sustaining this ruin. Mana operating the Long-lived Species, mechanisms, army, Awakener statues.

The residual mana left in the trace of the Eastward Flowing Moon. I claimed a portion as my own.

This ancient ruin itself, practically a living entity.

So.

In conclusion.

Though nearly non-functional, this ruin was now under my control.

I'd let the suppressible collapse proceed to avoid suspicion, allowing me to send Jin Yu-ri and Lee Sea out first. Yoo Hae-bin had entered with me and could vouch for my alibi, so I couldn't just eject her.

Standing in the center of the cavern where Lee Sea and Jin Yu-ri had stayed, I looked around.

Presumably prepared for them—a fateful encounter. Mana sustaining the ruin, plus info key to Kill the Evil's major foreshadowing.

But I'd snatched most of the mana. They got far less than intended.

And.

Something they'd witnessed here.

Now, at this moment, I could see it too.

Ancient tech wasn't advanced, so Peeping Eye read the structure.

Manifestation. A skill to shape mana into desired forms. The Long-lived Species used it for body changes despite being a corpse limiting full use, but versatile depending on application.

Especially for restoration, like now.

Vmmm...

Mana light seeped into the chaotic rubble. Stones floated, reverting to pre-collapse forms.

And the restored sight before me was...

"A mural?"

An intricate painting on the vast cavern wall. Other parts were noteworthy, but my eyes fixed on one spot.

Probably Silver Demon Mountain legend's protagonist. Silver hair flowing, red light leaking from upper face.

Hard to restore perfectly—blurry mural, but she moved vividly.

"...She looks alike."

I knew one person who resembled her. Phantom member I worked with. Antisocial Rabbit.

I didn't dismiss it as coincidence. Lee Sea or Jin Yu-ri might not notice or brush off as "similar," but I couldn't.

And.

The hologram appeared.