Chapter 34

“Then who will go?”

It was a statement that was incredibly simple, yet struck at the very core.

Upon hearing my words, Cheong Joohwa wore a somewhat surprised expression and fell silent for a while, at a loss for words.

“…Well, that’s true, but.”

To provoke the hesitating Cheong Joohwa, I deliberately threw out another remark.

“You don’t have to come. It is dangerous, after all.”

“Ah, come on. Who said I wouldn’t go?”

Cheong Joohwa seemed to still be sorting out her thoughts, pondering a bit more.

Then, she absentmindedly patted her own head and gave me her answer.

“…Last time, you said you wanted to form a team or something with me, right?”

“I did.”

“Then let’s do it now, that thing.”

This time, it was my turn to be surprised. Because that was truly an unexpected answer.

As mentioned before, the words ‘team’ and ‘comrade’ held great significance for Cheong Joohwa.

Having constantly suffered from human malice, they were like a childhood dream she had long cherished.

Naturally, it wasn’t something she would agree to easily.

‘…Team formation is an event that happens at least past the mid-point, isn’t it?’

It wasn’t anything with a formal shape, just a verbal promise between the two of us.

The part where Yoo Haon’s persistent efforts to provoke Cheong Joohwa finally bear some fruit.

That was now unfolding right before my eyes.

‘Huh.’

I hadn’t expected Cheong Joohwa, a rather difficult type of character, to open up her heart like this so soon.

“…I wouldn’t normally go, but I’m going because it’s for the team.”

From behind Cheong Joohwa, who was shyly avoiding eye contact, the shout of Choi Yeongho, who had barely caught his breath, echoed.

“Go where? This is no place for mere Academy students like you to go!”

It was a rough remark, but it contained a sense of urgency.

However, there was no need to pay it any mind.

The crises I had to overcome going forward were piled up like a mountain anyway.

If I got scared by something like this, the story wouldn’t even get off the ground.

“Can you protect yourself alone?”

“Hey, you punk, who do you think I am! That’s not the point, but……”

“Then it’s settled.”

At those words, Choi Yeongho, who had been silent, finally uttered a single worried remark.

“Since the alert level has changed, the citizens who were hiding in the residential areas must have just started evacuating to other regions. Can you draw its attention so it can’t go that way?”

I nodded at his words.

“…Anyway, kids these days are getting more fearless.”

And so, we plunged into the heart of the incident.

Seo Jihye is a new Guard Unit member, twenty-five this year.

She had graduated from a fairly well-known Academy and immediately obtained a 3rd-Rank Exorcist qualification, making her an excellent talent.

Kwaaang!

Hwarureuk!

It had already been two years since she was assigned to the Cheongdam 2nd Guard Unit. In that long stretch of time, Seo Jihye felt this was the first time she had faced such a major crisis.

‘Hoo, h-heup. I’m not even that close…’

It felt as if the heat was seeping into her very bones. Even after drawing up her Spiritual Power with all her might, it was hard to endure.

‘Is the difference of just one rank this significant?’

Given Seo Jihye’s current skill, she could single-handedly subdue a C+-Rank Specter without much difficulty, so the shock was even greater.

Puuuung!

“Kuaaak!”

At the urgent scream that came with the explosion, Seo Jihye drew up even more Spiritual Power and hurried toward the scene.

There, an Exorcist lay on the ground, having suffered significant burns on one arm.

“I’m from the 2nd Guard Unit! Are you alright?”

“Kkeuk. Heuk.”

The man didn’t seem to be in a condition to control his body properly. Seo Jihye quickly performed first aid with a Cursed Technique and headed toward the center of the flames.

‘I have to stop it quickly.’

The street scene was already a complete hellscape.

If the Specter were to head toward the nearby mountains or residential areas, the damage would become uncontrollably immense.

“Wall of Azure Heavens!”

Pushing a bit further through the heat, she saw an Exorcist blocking the flames while deploying an Intermediate-Rank defensive spell.

A familiar face. If her memory served right, it was Gwak Seojin, a veteran from the 3rd Guard Unit who was soon to take the Promotion Exam for 2nd-Rank.

“I’ll assist!”

At Seo Jihye’s words, Gwak Seojin finally noticed her presence and urgently shouted.

“No! Don’t come!”

Kwaaaang!

At that moment, an even more intense blaze covered her vision.

Even after hastily deploying a defensive Art Formula, the heat was hard to withstand; and this was despite it not being directed at her. The difference in rank was stark.

“Kkeuuuk!”

Fortunately, Gwak Seojin was unharmed. However, anyone could see he was in no condition to continue the fight.

As Seo Jihye hurriedly approached and supported him, Gwak Seojin spoke.

“…That, that thing. It’s strong even among B-Ranks. It’s definitely above Normal Rank.”

Seo Jihye gulped at his words.

A genuine B-Rank, even if not a plus. If that was true, it was clearly an opponent beyond her capabilities.

Thud.

Thud.

Before the eyes of Seo Jihye and Han Seojin, something in a small humanoid form began approaching, parting the flames.

What finally revealed itself was a short Specter wearing a bizarre-shaped mouth covering, scattering embers from it.

Blond hair reflecting the firelight, and crimson eyes that seemed to blaze. Frankly, its appearance was such that you could believe it was a young human girl.

Staring at Seo Jihye, who was overwhelmed by the sight, the Specter, the Fire Goblin, opened its mouth.

“…Burn?”

Whether it sounded like an innocent child’s question or a resentful lament, to Seo Jihye, it somehow sounded like a death sentence.

“Poison Dagger Hail!”

Chwarak!

Jjeong!

She mustn’t be intimidated by its momentum.

Seo Jihye swiftly launched a preemptive attack and moved away, taking Gwak Seojin with her.

Placing Gwak Seojin in a position where he could escape alone, Seo Jihye slapped both her cheeks and headed back to the battlefield.

Frankly, she was a bit scared, but if she fled here, the name of the Cheongdam 2nd Guard Unit would be tarnished.

Fortunately, there was a way through.

Judging from its earlier attack, its main attack pattern seemed to be shooting flames in a straight line from its mouth. As someone adept at speed-based combat, there might be a way.

Huuung.

Thwack.

Chaak.

Seo Jihye, having chanted a spell onto the prepared Talismans and attached them to both legs, began approaching the blind spot of the Fire Goblin visible in the distance.

“Secret Concealment Treading Aura.”

A concealment Art Formula she often used. With this, she should be able to approach a fairly close distance without being detected.

Hwareuk.

Hwarureuk.

Amidst the scorching flames, Seo Jihye, sweating with tension, closed in to point-blank range of the Fire Goblin.

And, as she pulled out a single luminous orb from her pocket, she began to dash.

Taak!

In response, the Fire Goblin also noticed Seo Jihye’s presence and turned its body.

“Burn.”

Puhwaak!

Hwarureuk—!

A fierce blaze erupted from the Fire Goblin’s mouth.

However, Seo Jihye, who had layered various Cursed Techniques on herself for mobility, swiftly dodged it and secured a position behind the Fire Goblin.

Then, pouring Spiritual Power into her trump card Cursed Tool, the Blue Jade, she deployed an offensive Art.

“Soul Blaze Rending Wave!”

But, at that moment.

The Fire Goblin’s hand, which had never moved until then, stretched backward.

Its palm was aimed precisely at Seo Jihye’s upper body.

“…Burn.”

‘Ah.’

In that brief moment, Seo Jihye felt death.

Before her eyes, a vortex of fierce flames was forming, and its speed was incredibly fast.

There was no so-called ‘final moment’ people often speak of.

‘…Life flashing before my eyes, my foot.’

Resenting someone who had once said those words to herself, Seo Jihye closed her eyes, having given up on everything.

And then.

“Wall of Azure Heavens!”

Puhwaak!

Jjeong!

Seo Jihye survived. Thanks to someone’s powerful defensive Art Formula suddenly deployed.

“Are you alright?”

The protagonists were two people who shouldn’t be in this place. None other than Han Kangyoon and Cheong Joohwa.

“You, you two. Do you know where this is…?”

“In a situation like this, who has time to be picky about people? Nothing’s going to change by just standing still anyway.”

At Cheong Joohwa’s bold words, Seo Jihye just made a dumbfounded expression.

But she wasn’t entirely wrong.

In reality, this area was in chaos, with secondary evacuation orders and all.

Whatever it was, this was a time when even one more combatant was needed.

“…….”

The Fire Goblin stared at us with vacant eyes.

Excluding the more eerie flames swirling around it, it was exactly the image described in the original work.

‘Appraisal.’

Ding.

【Fire Horn Specter】

▶Level 42

▶Stats

【Stamina : B】

【Monstrous Power : B+】

【Art Formula : A-】

【Mental Strength : C】

▶Traits (4/10)

【Specter Fire (A+)】

【Blazing Flame (A-)】

【Rampage (B)】

【Monstrous Strength (C+)】

A fairly high-level stat sheet. The ranks of the stats were decent, and the purity of the Traits was also excellent.

Above all, the overlapping fire-attribute Traits spoke of the opponent’s strength.

“…Burn?”

With lines that made no sense, the Fire Goblin began shooting flames again.

Seo Jihye and we quickly retreated, avoiding the flames, but we could gauge the enemy’s level from the heat we felt.

“Run away now! Can’t you see? It’s not a level you can handle!”

“Isn’t that the same for you?”

“Urk.”

Calmly retorting, I asked Cheong Joohwa, who had pulled out a bunch of Talismans.

“How is it?”

“…I can’t block much. Roughly looking, it doesn’t seem to have even used its full strength yet.”

“That’s enough.”

From now on, it was time to execute what I had been preparing.

“Mind Fox, Old Man Tree Specter.”

Puhwak!

Puhwaak!

[Kyiing.]

[Keeeek!]

As always, the Old Man Tree Specter made an even more disgusted face than usual upon recognizing the enemy.

I was acutely aware of the reason.

‘…I knew from the setting, but this is something else.’

The Fire Goblin before my eyes is a Specter born from a fire that swallowed hundreds of thousands of people in some country.

The source of its power is their pain and resentment.

Therefore, to my eyes, which possess the limit value of Forbidden Technique Value, it was clearly visible.

The wails of countless vengeful spirits existing within those flames.

“So, do you have some method?”

“I do. To some extent.”

Finishing my words, I quickly hid behind Cheong Joohwa.

The flames were fiercer than expected. Against such a simple attack, Severance was impossible, and with my current Spiritual Power, blocking the Fire Goblin’s attacks was difficult.

“Focus on defense and buy time for a while.”

At the somewhat déjà vu-like scene, Cheong Joohwa threw me a subtle look. Then, as if resigned, she opened her mouth.

“…Well, yeah. It’s for the team.”

A smile, unbefitting the urgent situation, had crept onto the corner of her mouth.

Puhwaak!

Hwarureuk!

“Wall of Azure Heavens.”

Puuung!

Tszuzuzu.

“Do you really have a method?”

From behind Cheong Joohwa’s defensive Art Formula, Seo Jihye, who had caught her breath, shouted loudly.

“Yes. I do.”

Hwareuk!

Puuuung!

“Ugh, I don’t know if this is right. Anyway, what should I do?”

Actually, Seo Jihye wasn’t part of the original plan. But if she’s here, she can help as she is. I pulled out a white stake from my pocket and answered Seo Jihye.

“When I give the signal, please fire the most powerful Cursed Technique you can. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Binding Spell Formula or an offensive Art.”

From now on, I needed to focus completely. I stopped talking and drew up all the Spiritual Power within my body.