Chapter 72

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Sponsored Chapter - 2/7...

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Kwaaaang!

“Eugeuoook!”

An explosion occurred with a roar.

The explosion swallowed up several monsters, but Kim Yoo-Hyun, who was within that range, was also stuck on the floor with a strange scream.

He lost the halberd he was holding, but fortunately he wasn't seriously injured.

The problem was that he was in charge of most of the vanguard, and when he fell, all the monsters started rushing towards him.

“To Formation D!”

Ivan shouted in an urgent voice.

Formation D meant that if the front row was breached, Ivan, who was the better in close combat among the three, would take the role of the front row.

Ivan changed his Magic Bow to create a curved shape like a crescent moon.

He then stuck to Jin Ye-Seul, who was barely holding on with her shield and one-handed sword.

After the tough battle, Han Soo-Young walked with a staggering step and bowed her head to Kim Yoo-Hyun, who was treating his wounds.

It was because the explosion that had made him incapacitated a while ago was none other than Han Soo-Young's magic.

“I’m sorry, because of me…… .”

"Huh? Ah, no. People can make mistakes.”

Kim Yoo-Hyun said that and tried to smile.

Ivan and Lee Hyun-Seung didn't have to show it, but they could see that they were having a hard time.

In the recently resumed mock dungeon class, they could not get out of the lower ranks.

They had only done it twice at most, but they had always been at the top.

The reason for this may have been that the number of heads was simply reduced from six to five due to Yoo Ji-Hyuk's absence, but the biggest reason was Han Soo-Young's frequent failures.

And Han Soo-Young, who knew that fact better than anyone else, leaned against the wall and squatted with her head buried between her knees.

‘This isn't good…… .'

Ivan, who had to lead them, shook his head slightly.

Strictly speaking, Yoo Ji-Hyuk's absence was unfortunate, but not decisive.

On top of that, due to the efforts of Jin Ye-Seul, who had been growing rapidly in recent days, the gap that he had left was filled.

In the end, it meant that it was a problem of the rear rather than the front.

And everyone knew well that the only person who had changed was Han Soo-Young.

No one dared to mention it, but...… .

"Now, let's stop resting and move. As it's a breakthrough mission, it’s good to move as fast as possible.”

At Ivan's reminder, everyone stood up silently.

They needed a little more rest, but they had spent so much time in the earlier battle that they had no choice.

Originally, the battle would have taken less than half of that, but no one spoke that fact.

And they, Team 11, were in the bottom group again today in the mock dungeon class.

It was a lower rank than last time.

* * *

"Haaaa…… .”

After a brief shower, Han Soo-Young sighed deeply.

There is nothing more dependent on the caster's mind and concentration than magic.

And although Han Soo-Young didn't want to admit it, she had to admit that her concentration had been very disturbed recently.

What could be the reason?

She concluded that this was due to the changing seasons these days.

It must have been because in a matter of days at most, the seasons had changed and the weather had become unsettled.

It was clear.

“…… .”

No answer when she called, no answer when she texted.

In addition, yesterday with great determination, she asked Professor Blesbuck about Yoo Ji-Hyuk's whereabouts, but she only told her that he was ill and that he would return after receiving external treatment for a few days.

In fact, she didn't even have the courage to argue that he was on a leave of absence.

Han Soo-Young, annoyed by that fact, roughly pushed the chair away.

The chair was pushed away with a rumbling sound and fell to the side.

“Ah, ssing…… .”

Han Soo-Young put the chair right again and dragged it to the front of the desk.

Sitting reflexively in a chair, she looked at the desk.

There were two notebooks on the desk.

One was in handwriting she could recognize well enough, and it was, in her words, efficient, effective, and practical.

The other was in round letters, with different colored writing in important places, and even had post-its and cute stickers on some places.

The former was Han Soo-Young's personal note, and the latter was a note she had decided to give to Yoo Ji-Hyuk.

As always, Han Soo-young, who checked the notes of the notebooks and had time to write them down and annotate them, soon laid down carefully on the bed as if she was tired of it.

"Haa."

Han Soo-Young sighed once more and quietly began to concentrate.

It was for the magic practice that she always did.

It was also the magic that her master, Nam Hyun-Hwa, asked not to show how she used it in front of others.

Han Soo-Young was gifted with space-based magic that only a few people possessed.

This is the reason why she was able to find and rescue the director who was trapped in a gap in the space distorted by an artifact in the archives of the past.

And her master, Nam Hyun Hwa, said that she had more talent than any other person she had ever seen.

Han Soo-Young intentionally began to create a distorted space around her.

At some point, she felt a floating sensation and opened her eyes, and saw herself lying on the bed with her eyes closed.

It was a success.

When she intentionally creates a distorted space around herself that only her mental body can feel, she feels as if she is dreaming.

She can see the surroundings even with her eyes closed and can go to places she cannot go.

At first, she wondered if she would be like this if she became a ghost.

Han Soo-Young moved part of her mind and escaped into the hallway.

She slipped out of the door smoothly and began to wander around the quiet hallway.

This was one of Han Soo-Young's small deviations.

Others can't see her, but she can see them.

She enjoyed taking walks with the strange pleasure that came from this fact.

Of course, she never eavesdropped on anyone or entered a room.

As it was a mental body, she had to constantly focus her mind, as she might pass through things or be moved by other things if she became careless.

If it was her usual self, she would have distracted her mind.

But these days, she is...… .

“…… .”

Han Soo-Yeong, who was unconsciously immersed in her thoughts, was able to realize at some point that her own body was stuck in the floor and wall as if it were an object of contemporary art.

Startled, she quickly escaped and was thinking about going back now.

"First of all, you're learning the art of legacy."

For a moment, Han Soo-Young felt like she was getting goosebumps all over her body at the voice she heard.

The next thing she knew, she was on her way to where the voice came from.

“Honestly, you're more talented than me, so you can learn it quickly.”

And Han Soo-young, who came to the place where she heard her voice, could see her Jin Ye-Seul sitting in front of a strange statue.

In front of Han Soo-young, who thought she might have misheard the voice for a moment, Jin Ye-Seul suddenly began to giggle, unable to hold back her laughter.

“You have a talent, talent…… Hehe, talent...… .”

What, why is she like that?

At the first sight of Jin Ye-Seul, Han Soo-Young was frankly bewildered.

And she immediately remembered her own situation where she was peeking on other people's private life and was about to get out.

“Jin Ye-Seul, you have talent."

It was Yoo Ji-Hyuk's voice.

However, it was from Jin Ye-Seul's mouth that the voice came out.

what the hell is this... ?

“Ah, hm. Hmm. The male voice is a little hard, too. But I still have to work hard……”

Jin Ye-Seul muttered, touching her neck with her hand.

“Ji-Hyuk said I'm talented. That's why I have to work hard.”

What.

Han Soo-Young felt unpleasant at the moment, but she soon thought that could happen.

Come to think of it, they were taking classes under the same professor.

Then the two of them had enough time to get close.

No, but even so, what the hell is Jin Ye-Seul talking about now?

More importantly, how can she make Yoo Ji-Hyuk's voice?

She was thinking that.

"Ah."

Jin Ye-Seul picked up her phone that was vibrating at the moment.

It seemed like there was a phone call.

“It’s Ji-Hyuk… !”

It was that moment.

Suddenly, she felt a huge disruption in her concentration.

Han Soo-Young opened her eyes at the same time as she felt as if she was being sucked in rapidly.

Han Soo-Young, who woke up in her own room and bed, got up in a disheveled state.

“…… .”

Han Soo-Young, who got up like that, murmured in a quiet voice after staying like that for a while. 

“What, that just now…… .”

Han Soo-Young who quietly uttered words that no one would answer, laid down on the bed again without strength.

“What the hell…… .”

* * *

"I don't feel good."

"The space movement series is normally like that. You'll be fine once you get used to it."

These were the words I uttered as soon as I moved to a secluded place with Horie Yuzuki.

Before our eyes, we saw a place that was cleverly hidden, almost smashed with signs saying restricted access.

“That’s the entrance to the orchard.”

“No sentry or anything?”

“Honestly, it's ambiguous to smash it, so we're managing it, but there's already nothing inside. Also, there was no need to keep guards here, as the guards would arrest us before we came this far.”

We talked as we entered the facility.

The story of how we came to be here went like this.

Yuzuki Horie, who called me and informed Lee Myung-Joon's disappearance, was not bewildered at all and added this to me.

During the regular report, he suddenly mentioned my name and said, ‘He has a place he wants to go, so please take care of it.’

So, she can infer where he will go from the conversation that I and Lee Myung-Joon had and it seemed to be here.

All he and I talked about was Aegis and the orchard.

Considering the elimination method, of course, it was the latter.

And it was as she had predicted.

"There are traces of a person staying a while ago."

Horie nodded her head as she looked at the portable lamp, blanket, and plastic bags scattered here and there.

She got down on one knee and began trudging around the area, looking for traces.

After a moment she nodded her head if she was sure.

“I don’t think it’s been a while since he left. I don't know if he left or is away for a while...… .”

"But how can you be sure that the person is Hunter Lee Myung-Joon? Maybe it's the homeless or someone else...….”

“Because of this.”

Saying so, Horie Yuzuki showed me one of the empty cans.

It was a cola that tasted like beer, so-called the worst cola in the world.

As soon as I saw it, I contorted my face involuntarily.

“Uug, what. Why that? Who would drink that...… .”

“It’s the guild master’s favorite drink.”

“…… .”

I quietly shut my mouth.

Horie muttered in a serious voice, putting down the empty can.

“And I’ve never seen anyone other than the guild master buy this in bulk and drink it like that. I think we've come to the right place."

With the words, she sat on a blanket and rummaged through the plastic bag.

Inside were unopened bread, kimbap, and drinks.

“It would be better to take a break and wait. We don't know when he'll be back, but I don't think he'll be away for long after he lead us here."

“Um, then…… .”

"Ah."

She nodded as if she understood.

“By the way, Ji-Hyuk, you said you wanted to come here once…… Um, I'm supposed to go with you."

She muttered like that and handed me a flashlight.

"Well. Watch your step. I will wait here for the guild master.”

“Okay.”

Saying that, Horie Yuzuki drank the drink with a calm expression on his face.

But I did not miss the slight trembling of her hand.

“…… .”

I was about to say something, but stopped and I took the flashlight and headed into the facility.

Perhaps it hadn't been properly managed, but the walls and ceiling were broken and crumbling all over the place.

There was also a small sign of a rat-like beast that seemed to be living here.

Orchard.

This was Red Case's secret research facility.

It was a metaphor for comparing those who had been rounded up for human experimentation to fruit, and the facility where an unimaginable number of people had died, which was meant to be a harvesting ground. 

And there were two more peculiarities here.

One is that, surprisingly, the Thorn Cross Society also contributed to this experiment.

And the other is that, in fact, this facility was built for the purpose of the two Seven Evils, whose seals had already been broken.

Two seals of the Seven Evils have already been broken.

And each of them is working in the dark for their own purposes in the Red Case and the Thorns Cross Society.

This facility was also created for that purpose.

In the end, the experiment failed without the desired result that the two Seven Evils wanted, and furthermore, the two became hostile to each other as if they were enemies...… .

What matters now was not that.

“Is it around here?”

This place was also very important in the original story.

This was especially true for Choi Hyun-Woo and Han Soo-Young, who had to fight the Seven Evil that took control of the Red Case.

As I scattered the blood I had prepared in advance on the smashed altar, the blood that had been scattered began to flow and gather in one direction.

It was not simply because the altar was tilted, but it was as if magnet pulling iron powder.

The blood that had been flowing was soon collected in one of the large altars that remained even if an adult man went up.

The large drops of blood gave me an eerie feeling just by looking at them.

I stretched out my finger and began to draw a pattern on the spot with my blood.

It was the very mark of being a member of the Red Case.

And on top of that, I drew the mark of the Thorns Cross Society as if it were a large drawing.

Then there was a rattling sound from the altar.

As it shattered with a loud noise, the pieces formed dust.

“Cough, cough!”

With a cough, I covered my nose and mouth with his hand, and put the other hand into the dust.

There is a feeling in the hand.

I grabbed them tightly and pulled them out.

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