Chapter 21. Partus (3)

Perhaps about ten seconds passed like that. An announcement came over the ceiling speakers.

A few words of apology broadcasted, and then cheerful music flowed through the building as usual. The control center called it a malfunction, but it surely wasn't. They must have detected the mana wave caused by Seo Yeon-hee about a kilometer away from here. Since she retracted her power immediately, they judged it nothing serious.

"……Good enough."

This was sufficient preparation. If the Rift opened, its center would be above the Han River. Just as in the rehearsal earlier, if I strongly emitted a mana wave at the right moment, civilians would evacuate following the advisories. The hunters were prepared assuming an S-rank Rift, so we could consider the risk of casualties minimized as much as possible.

What remained was executing the traitors, deriving skills from the Black Heart, and extracting any useful information for future operations if possible…

Volume 2 progress was just shy of 79%.

Not taking my eyes off the hologram, I left the bathroom and approached Lee Sea's group. None of them looked pleased.

"What's up?"

"Didn't you feel it, Professor? It was weird right before the alarm."

"I felt ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it too."

"I only felt it a little…"

Yoo Hae-bin, who knew part of my plan, spoke up hesitantly, while Lee Sea was certain. Jin Yu-ri seemed unsure. I reassured them casually.

"These things happen sometimes, right? It's nothing big, so let's pick out gifts first and then grab some food."

"Ah, yes. And since you're helping us today, let me treat you to—"

"YuriMental, you're crossing the line. You think the professor would, like, mooch off a student? Are you looking down on him?"

"Hey! When did I—"

"And you, Hae-bin, seem like you really want him to mooch off you specifically."

"Hmm… kinda, yeah?" lol

Lee Sea cut off Yoo Hae-bin, who was gazing up at me with sparkling eyes.

"You're late, so budget's over. Eat on your dime."

"Lee Sea, why are you picking on me lately…?"

As Yoo Hae-bin pouted half-jokingly, half-seriously, Jin Yu-ri spoke to me.

"Professor… over there."

"Yeah?"

"After we buy gifts and eat… I got movie tickets from my dad… It's been a while since we all went out, so I wanna use them today, um, so…"

"Movie? What're we watching?"

"Why do you wanna know?"

Jin Yu-ri snapped back curtly at Yoo Hae-bin's question, then turned to me. A romance thriller with a vampire and hunter as the leads, she suggested. Yoo Hae-bin perked up.

"Oh? I like that one. Not bad taste in movies, after all."

"……."

That girl definitely thought the same as me when it came up at her place, right? The trailer hyped it, but the movie itself probably sucked. Still, Lee Sea seemed into it, so I gave conditional approval—if the timing worked, we'd go with that. Jin Yu-ri beamed.

"Yes! I have three tickets, so no need to buy more!"

"Hey, YuriMental. Three tickets, and you say no need to buy?"

"Because there are three."

"Professor… They're ganging up on me, what do you think…?"

"I'll buy yours, Hae-bin."

"Hehe, knew it. You know I like you, right, Professor?"

"Cut the weird talk. Then you buy the popcorn and cola."

Lee Sea shot her a cold glance and said curtly. Suddenly, Yoo Hae-bin thrust out her palm and yelled.

"Yay, stop!"

"……?"

Lee Sea, I, and even Jin Yu-ri stared at her oddly. Yoo Hae-bin scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

"Well… You keep picking ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on me from the sidelines…"

So she saw herself and Jin Yu-ri bickering as spectators watching a show? Lee Sea replied in her usual prickly tone.

"You showed up late."

"Pfft, I'm not that late."

The conversation felt oddly disjointed as we walked slowly. Then a store caught my eye.

"How about checking ties there?"

"Yes! Sounds good!"

Jin Yu-ri answered energetically and headed in with Lee Sea. I asked Yoo Hae-bin, who was on her phone.

"What're you looking at?"

"Searching your dad's style online. What kind of ties he likes. Wow, his birthday's really soon, huh?"

"Obviously. Let's go in."

"Okay. But Professor… you sure you're good?"

"With what?"

"That movie. Didn't you promise to watch it with Boss? Pretty sure that's what happened."

"Ah……."

Come to think of it, I kinda promised Seo Yeon-hee. I quickly shushed her.

"Keep this quiet. You didn't see me."

"Hmm… Dunno? I super respect Boss, so lying might be tough, hmm……."

"What do you want."

Yoo Hae-bin's demand was simple. At the movies with four people, we'd need two popcorns, but Lee Sea would hog one, so share with me.

"I'll just buy you one."

"Nah, too much. Just you and me sharing is fine."

Not a hard request, so I agreed inwardly thinking we might not even get to popcorn. Something could happen before that.

Around six in the evening. After buying a gift for her dad and having an early dinner, Jin Yu-ri reached the theater on the top floor of the shopping center. With determined eyes, she assessed the situation.

'Send Yoo Hae-bin to the farthest inside seat, Lee Sea next, then Professor beside her……'

If she took the end seat, it would be perfect. Seats were reserved but not assigned, so minding the entry order would let her sit naturally. Taking a deep breath with that in mind, she entered the screening room… but things didn't go smoothly.

"I'll take this one."

Before she could stop her, Yoo Hae-bin strode to the outermost of the four reserved seats. Probably being considerate, but it irked her completely. Lee Sea headed to the innermost, naturally expecting her brother beside her.

But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠an unexpected twist.

Lee Dojin sat in the second from the left—Yoo Hae-bin's side.

"Picked something Hae-bin and I wanna share for popcorn."

They'd gone to buy popcorn during ticketing; she hadn't known. Even in the dark, Jin Yu-ri saw Lee Sea's pupils tremble. Just as she moved to switch seats, Jin Yu-ri dashed to the empty one.

"……."

"……."

The piercing glares didn't faze her; she couldn't yield. Ignoring Lee Sea, Jin Yu-ri said.

"I don't eat much popcorn… You hold it and eat, Sea."

Before she finished, rustling came from Lee Sea's side… The movie was honestly boring. Even a masterpiece wouldn't have held her focus. No twist could make her heart race like this.

Thump, thump.

Her pounding heart spread from her core to her fingertips. Lee Sea seemed to enjoy it, focused. Jin Yu-ri glanced left discreetly so no one noticed.

'Is the professor enjoying it?'

He didn't seem to be. More like deep in thought. Then.

"Ah……."

Jin Yu-ri let out a small sound. Lee Dojin had caught her glance. Their eyes met for less than a second, but it felt eternal. He smiled and offered the popcorn bag.

Since she'd said no earlier, Lee Sea was hogging both her and Lee Sea's shares. He knew and offered anyway. A new plan flashed in Jin Yu-ri's mind.

'If I play it right…….'

Cautiously, she took a few and ate. Prep work; the second was the real move.

Swipe.

Timing as he reached for popcorn, her hand extended. A faint touch, but definite contact.

"Hnn……."

A thin breath escaped unwittingly. Just their hands brushing like electricity from a lightning spell. Fortunate or regrettable? He seemed oblivious. Glancing left as his hand went for the bag, she reached again.

The touch this time… was different.

"……?"

Sensing something wrong, Jin Yu-ri looked. Yoo Hae-bin eyed her suspiciously, face saying the bump was unpleasant. Around then, Lee Sea offered her bag.

"Eat some."

"Ah… thanks."

Nearly empty, but she couldn't push further. She chewed a hard, underpopped kernel, cherishing that one sensation.

The movie ended past eight.

"Thanks for today, Professor."

"Sure, get home safe."

After dropping her off, he replied warmly. Yoo Hae-bin had gotten off midway; now her turn.

"Sea, see you at school tomorrow."

"……Yeah. Night."

Waving simply to Lee Sea, Jin Yu-ri walked home proudly. Unexpected events, but gift bought well, theater great.

'Gotta study hard starting tomorrow.'

Around eleven p.m., showered and in bed, Jin Yu-ri repeated the resolve, closing her eyes. Everything going well lately; hoped it continued.

But an hour later.

Kuuaaaaa—!

Startled from sleep, she opened her eyes at the roar. Outside the window: the midnight sky, already dark… growing blacker.

I had to admit there was something I hadn't grasped fully. I'd planned to evacuate Lee Sea if the Rift opened… but it might not be easy.

Volume 2's main event unfolds inside the Rift, and Lee Sea's likely the protagonist.

The progress, stuck below early 80s, was rising. Simultaneously, the cracked sky fissure—the Rift—expanded terrifyingly fast.

Wooong— Wooooong—

Key point: this Rift wasn't normal. Typical Rifts allow exit before completion. Once fully open, outsiders can't enter, but insiders can exit. Not this one. Some principle blocked entry, and exit was already impossible. Interior and exterior severed.

Our house and Jin Yu-ri's were within ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the triangle where the Black Heart reacted—areas I'd scouted.

Weeeeng—

A magical hologram flickered before me. A message from Seo Yeon-hee, whom I'd apologized to on the way home for no issues.

Han Tae-gang, Yoon Ui-seong, Shim Jeong-woong, and Seo Yeon-hee herself urgently summoned.

I relayed a few requests to her and assessed available forces. Defense installations and hunters inside the Rift. Europe's three heroes were nearby too.

"Oppa!"

The door burst open; Lee Sea in pajamas rushed to me. Right after.

Kuung, shuuuaaaaa—!

An explosion outside. Then, from the Rift's center above the Han River, black light poured…

Pishuuung—!

Splitting into three, descending to the ground. Undoubtedly the three areas the Black Heart reacted to.

Shuuu…….

The three lights from sky and ground connected. Unlike typical circular forms, a triangular pyramid space. Its outer walls blackened like pitch, blocking outside view. Now, from beyond the Rift, a shadowy figure in black mist emerged.

Confirmed via long-range detection magic: striking features. Immensely tall by human standards, yet not bulky. And… I knew its identity.

First time seeing it in reality, but records of its appearance remained, matching my imagination closely. Among surviving six Demon Kings, the one I'd fleshed out most.

Partus.

Kuoooooo!

As it swung its hand, the sky roiled violently, black demonic energy flowing. The expanding black light engulfed the vast space, reaching our apartment…