Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Things Possible with Magic
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# Seo-yeon sunbae! This is the order not to enter right now!
"What does that mean? We're right here at the building, and we're not supposed to go in?"
In a building on the outskirts of Donga Village.
Lee Seo-yeon, who had approached right up to the building following Ra Kyung-joo's words, furrowed her brow.
'How could we come this far and not go in...!'
The factory she had discovered with Ra Kyung-joo.
It was a place overflowing with suspicions at first glance, but Lee Seo-yeon hadn't reported it to her superiors.
Instead of reporting, she had chosen to leak information about the factory to the journalists.
'Miru Guild's connections definitely reach Gangbuk Station.'
That was what she had realized after her attempts had been repeatedly blocked from above.
There was clear evidence, and no real reason for the higher-ups to refuse.
Yet the top brass had consistently ignored Lee Seo-yeon's requests.
So, rather than reporting, Lee Seo-yeon opted to leak the information.
# Warrants are out, so head to the building now!
It had been a snap decision, a gamble.
But Lee Seo-yeon's choice had hit the mark.
The superiors, who had only ever stonewalled her, had now actively ordered a search of the building.
They must have judged that ignoring the factory scandal now spreading live on air was too risky.
Kaboom!
Lee Seo-yeon stared at the explosion inside the building.
Crash! Boom boom boom!! Whoooosh...!
That was the reason her superiors had told her to wait before entering the building.
She had no idea what was happening inside.
All Lee Seo-yeon outside could tell was that something akin to a war was raging within.
'Who's fighting the Miru Guild in there?'
Donga had been quiet for years since Miru Guild took over.
Of course, all sorts of incidents had been happening behind that quiet facade.
But with no factions daring to challenge the Miru Guild that dominated the area, it could at least be called peaceful.
Kaboom!
Lee Seo-yeon's heart grew urgent with the continuous blasts.
For some reason, she felt the person who had smashed the factory was inside that building.
'I want to see.'
She was curious who could take out dozens of Miru Guild members like that.
By Lee Seo-yeon's common sense, only top S-rank hunters or higher in Korea could pull that off.
If it really was an S-rank as she thought, she wanted to know who and why they were attacking Miru Guild.
...
'It's gone quiet.'
The moment she thought silence had finally come.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
This time, destructive sounds came at short intervals.
It was the noise of something heavy smashing the building.
'I can't wait any longer.'
Lee Seo-yeon, who had been waiting for orders, started walking toward the building.
At this rate, the situation would end without her even getting inside once.
At that moment.
Craaaaaack!!
An enormous roar shook her eardrums.
It was on a completely different level from anything before.
The sound of impossible force colliding with something.
Rumble...!
It might have been an illusion.
But at the moment of the roar, the entire building in front of her seemed to shake.
Thud.
'Wha... what is that.'
Her eardrums still ringing from the roar, Lee Seo-yeon fell on her butt.
Gulp.
She was flustered.
Lee Seo-yeon, known as a hothead at Gangbuk Station for charging in regardless, was frozen in this moment.
A power that shook a building.
She didn't know what was inside, but her instincts told her it was something beyond what she could handle.
Flash!
'...!!'
Moments later.
Something soared up from behind the building.
Click.
Snapping to her senses, Lee Seo-yeon drew her pistol from her waist.
Before her eyes landed a black-haired man, descending like a feather.
The man, drenched in blood, was carrying someone over his shoulder.
"...".
She aimed her gun somehow.
But Lee Seo-yeon couldn't do anything after that.
She should have shouted who he was.
She should have told him to raise his hands and back off.
Her voice wouldn't come out.
Gulp.
Eyes as red as the blood soaking his body.
Her body froze under the chilling gaze emanating from those red eyes.
Slash!
"Ah...!"
It happened in the blink of an eye.
The man in front of her vanished from sight in an instant.
Thud.
"Haa...!!"
As the man disappeared, the tension released, and Lee Seo-yeon collapsed fully to the ground.
The bone-chilling cold and killing intent that had numbed her body.
"Wha... what was that."
Lee Seo-yeon looked down at her hands.
Her hands were trembling uncontrollably.
What is it? A cop?
After embedding Kim Dae-wook into the ceiling.
I picked up Debi, who had appeared before me, and escaped the building.
On the way out, I encountered a woman in a uniform with "Lee Seo-yeon" embroidered on it.
She had her gun aimed, but I knew she wouldn't shoot.
So I left without hesitation.
Thud.
I leaped over the wall into the small mountain connected to Donga Village.
As I exited, I saw the building was already surrounded by police.
With journalists swarming too, I figured I'd need to hide out pretty far.
For now... what do I do with this.
Debi, whom I'd unwittingly carried out.
I didn't know why I'd picked her up.
But since I had, I needed to set her down somewhere safe.
Step.
How far into the forest had I gone?
Confirming I'd put a good distance from the building, I slowed down.
It would take quite a while just to sort out the mess inside the building.
It'd be even longer before a search reached here.
"Hoo."
I set Debi down in a corner and walked to the small spring.
It hadn't even been a day since washing outside Daicon's cave, and now I was covered in blood again.
Every step made sticky blood stretch with squelching sounds.
Splash!
I didn't care if the water was clean or not.
I just wanted to wash off the grime covering me, so I plunged in without hesitation.
Blood spread through the spring from my body.
At least there's water to wash in.
In Katabi, there were times I went over two months covered in blood from nonstop battles.
Compared to that, this was downright comfortable.
Maybe because the tutorial ended upon opening the first engraving.
Nothing appeared in Fate of the Engraver.
Guess I have to find it myself now.
Splash!
I scooped water to wash my face and hair.
As my heated body cooled, I vividly felt the physical changes from moments ago.
Much lighter.
Squeeze.
Strength too.
It was only 10% of my prime.
But compared to when my body was wrecked and even moving was hard, it was a godsend.
Of course, compared to 100%, movements were still sluggish.
No need to rush.
I've already climbed one step.
I thought I was stuck at 0%, doomed in the abyss.
Now, I'm definitely heading upward.
Rustle.
I turned at the presence I felt.
"Ah...!"
Debi, awake at some point, wore a complicated expression.
Debi stared at me with wide, surprised eyes.
"I'm not gonna eat you, so come wash up."
Debi was covered in blood and gasoline too.
I doubted it'd wash off completely with just water.
But it was better than nothing.
"...".
Maybe her legs were weak, as Debi hesitated without approaching.
She didn't seem particularly injured.
To ease her tension, I tossed out a casual remark.
"I don't have to undress you too, do I?"
I wouldn't even if asked.
"Ah... no, that's not it."
Hm...?
My head tilted at the voice.
It wasn't Debi's first voice I'd heard.
Not the thick one, but thin and delicate.
Like a woman's voice...!?
"Huh...?"
When did this happen?
Definitely not while carrying her out.
Probably after I set her down.
Debi's sturdy build had shrunk drastically, making her clothes baggy.
Her short sports-style brown hair had grown to waist-length.
"Tha... that's."
Debi panicked as she looked at me panicking.
I rarely panicked, but today was full of it.
"Are you a guy? Or a girl?"
The first Debi I saw was a man.
But the one before me now was clearly a woman.
Even her face, once a sturdy young man's, now looked a few years younger than mine, innocent.
"Fe... female."
Debi's shy, flustered voice reached my ears.
Splash! Splash!
From behind an expectant tree, I heard Debi washing.
An illusionist, huh.
Every class under the sun.
"It's magic."
As Debi waved her left hand a few times.
Her slender fingers thickened.
One of the illusionist's skills, she explained—she could change her appearance as long as she had mana left.
Perfectly convincing.
Even I, who could detect the slightest changes, was completely fooled.
I hadn't noticed a thing.
Got to be careful.
Kalderon had turned Korea into a place with all sorts of classes.
And as many classes, so many skills.
Just Debi's illusionist skill had perfectly deceived me.
Other classes' abilities weren't to be taken lightly either—it hit me anew.
Squelch.
Done washing, Debi's footsteps approached.
She looked like a drowned rat.
After hesitating a bit, Debi bowed her head.
"Tha... thank you so much for saving me."
Even her speech pattern changed.
Attention to detail.
After adjusting to the unfamiliar tone.
I stared at Debi, still bowed.
Thank you.
Not the first time I'd heard it.
But it felt different.
All the thanks so far were for not killing them.
This was the first for saving her.
What do I even say?
I never imagined thanks would stump me.
As I silently watched, Debi shyly lifted her head.
After staring at me a moment, Debi spoke first.
"I have a place I was staying on the village outskirts. Men's clothes I wore after changing form are there too."
Ah.
She said it seeing my ragged state.
I'd get nabbed immediately like this.
The clothes Oh Myung-yoon gave me were rags from the building fight.
Scars from Katabi etched between the tears.
Wandering like this was basically begging to be caught.
"If it's okay... would you come with me...?"
Thanks to Miru janitors' scam, I was broke.
I didn't fancy stealing clothes somewhere.
I nodded to Debi's cautious offer.
"Then I'll borrow some clothes."
As I rose from the tree I'd leaned on, Debi came closer.
"Ages are different where I'm from, but Korean-wise, I'm early 20s. Um... feel free to talk casually."
...?
Debi was unusually friendly.
In Katabi, where 99% hunted me, I'd suspect first.
But this was Korea.
And Debi's eyes.
Looking up at me, they were too clear and pure.
- The eyes are windows reflecting the heart.
Master, who tsked when I said I'd treat everyone as enemies.
- Yours are rotten, but not everyone's. Trust those with clear eyes!
Of course, I wasn't trusting Debi on eyes alone.
Just that this was Korea, and given the situation, no need to outright suspect and guard against her.
Though I'd keep a line.
Pfft.
A sudden memory of Master made me chuckle.
"...?"
To Debi's puzzled look, I slowly replied.
"Sure."