episode_0053

In the original world, life was tough in a mediocre way.

If I had become completely disabled to the point where I couldn’t even move, I might have given up, but I was healthy enough to move around in a mediocre way.

If I had been truly disabled, I might have just stayed still whether others pitied me or not, but I became disabled in a mediocre way by overextending myself.

– Sizzle

It’s the same in this world.

If I had no regrets, I would have cursed and disappeared, but I still have lingering regrets, crawling around desperately trying to survive.

It’s tough. Waking up early every day to exercise, cramming strange knowledge into my head, I hate it all.

Swinging a weapon all day long, tearing the skin on my palms, breaking my nails, jumping until my legs give out and getting blisters on my feet.

Training alone, struggling to keep up with theoretical progress, and having shitty nightmares every time I pass out from exhaustion.

It’s all so tiresome.

– Sizzle…!

I hate it all.

A curse of short life. I don’t know exactly when I’ll die. I can only guess it’ll be around 10 years based on cases and descriptions of NPCs with similar curses.

Just like the word “short life” suggests, it wouldn’t be strange if I dropped dead in a few days. It’s scary. I hate feeling that fear.

I want to taste something real. I want to smell the vanilla scent I used to enjoy whenever I’m stressed.

I want to see the world with my own eyes, not just spatial information. I want to see the sky that I can’t see now.

I hate the pain of making a small mistake and feeling like my throat is being ripped apart.

It’s unfair. Why am I going through this? What did I do wrong? I did my best not to cause trouble to others.

Am I really wrong like those bastards say? Was I not supposed to be born? Was I a harmful being who could only harm others?

I…

– Sizzle sizzle sizzle─!

The sound of something burning. Combustion. Emotions being consumed. Emotions being amplified to compensate.

Strange yet familiar knowledge came to mind. My mind cleared for a moment.

‘Why… No, no! What the hell. Snap out of it.’

What was I thinking just now?

As I realized my pathetic whining, my drooping mind suddenly sharpened.

I shook off the swamp-like clinging emotions in an instant. At the same time, I became aware of my surroundings.

Something was burning right next to me. No, it was my right arm that was engulfed in flames.

The flames, imbued with a powerful magic, were so intense that they were clearly perceptible.

‘What is this.’

Flames were erupting from my arm. An unexpected change.

Even though it would end with a mere scratch if I were to be cut by a sword inside the tower, the pain was excruciating.

‘It’s hot…!’

Yet it was still hot. The most intense sensation I felt upon entering the tower. The momentum was increasing. At this rate, my arm seemed like it would truly be swallowed up.

Fortunately, I hadn’t suffered major damage yet. But judging by the increasing momentum, leaving it as it is would likely result in harm.

– It’s unfair. Why do I have to go through this here?

‘Gulp…’

My mind wavered for a moment. The inflated emotions clouded my rational judgment.

My arm trembled. It seemed like I had lost consciousness for a moment, but thankfully it didn’t last long.

The parasitic moth was still flying in the sky, and Baekarin was attracting attention.

Elia and Hong Yeonhwa were lurking in a nearby place, waiting for an opportunity.

Everyone was sending shocked glances, especially Hong Yeonhwa’s reaction was intense. It felt like the world was crumbling before her eyes.

I don’t understand English. But staring blankly is the worst thing to do.

Even in this moment, the intense flames persisted.

The flames that amplify the owner’s emotions, turning them into a blazing inferno.

Hong Yeon-hwa’s strangely intense reaction.

They ignited a certain flame within her.

For now, she pushes aside her doubts. She’ll find out later…

…Find out later? Have I found the answer to any of the questions I have?

– Fwoosh

Surviving daily beatings from her parents with a fragile body in her childhood.

Surviving with a stomach sliced open by a knife.

Surviving a fire that swept through with her parents, leaving only her alive.

Surviving for years without proper meals, wandering the streets.

Her leg, once disabled from an accident, miraculously healed on its own.

Brought into this world.

The explosion of spatial perception, the mystery behind the void seen from the gate, the true intentions of the principal who brought her here, and the impending disaster event.

Have I learned anything? And can I learn more? Can I handle it?

“I… have to shoot.”

She gritted her teeth. Emotions intensified. The flames followed suit, growing fiercer.

This is an abnormal emotion. She aimed her bow at the parasitic moth, reminding herself of that.

For some reason, her arm was acting up, but for now, she’ll shoot first and think later.

She narrows her focus. Pushing aside excessive thoughts, she concentrates on one thing.

– Fwoosh!

The enchantment magic clinging to the arrow… but her attention was drawn to the flames flickering wildly from her arm.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind.

The flames roaring fiercely around her arm. She didn’t know the cause, but it was flames fueled by her own magic, burning the surrounding mana.

Then, maybe she has control.

She tried.

Fwoosh! The flames flickered more fiercely than before, seeming to rebel as if shaking their heads.

But soon, they gradually bowed their heads and followed her guidance, shifting to the arrowhead.

The previous arrows seemed quite threatening to her judgment. One shot should do it, thanks to the extra mana she infused.

But now.

– Fwoorrrsh!

Among all the attacks she’s done so far, this one looks the strongest.

She released the taut bowstring that was about to snap.

From the ground to the sky, a red line was drawn. The arrow cut through the air, the rush of wind brushing against her skin.

Fast.

She felt the urgency in the moth’s fluttering wings. The flow of wind became disoriented.

She hit it. That thought came first.

– Kwaahhh!

A loud explosion followed.

* * *

Her vision blurred. She doubted the world she saw with her own eyes.

She wished it was a lie, just a dream.

She would rather wake up from sleep, get angry for a moment, and still be able to breathe a sigh of relief.

She wished it was a dream. But her senses, her intuition, pointed to this place as reality.

“Ugh…”

Her head throbbed painfully. Hong Yeon-hwa gasped for breath. Blood oozed from her clenched fist.

Beyond that, she saw her right arm engulfed in flames, and a menacing arrow. The shot arrow pierced through the air at a speed that even surprised her.

– Kwaahhh!

The arrow precisely struck the moth, triggering a massive explosion of flames. The monster’s scream echoed in all directions.

The ensuing gust of wind caused Hong Yeon-hwa’s clothes to flutter violently. Piles of dirt scattered in all directions from the aftermath of the battle.

Flames. Something familiar to her. The symbol of her family was flames, and her inherited unique ability was also flames.

But that flame… the flame that originated from the scars inflicted by her family…

It felt strangely familiar, as if it belonged to her.

That fact gnawed at Hong Yeonhwa’s heart.

“Yeonhwa!”

A familiar voice. At Baek Arin’s shout, Hong Yeonhwa turned her head.

“For now! Let’s take down the boss first!”

A brief message delivered straight to the point. Hong Yeonhwa hesitated for a moment, then clenched her lips tightly.

It was the right thing to do. That… was something she could ask after taking down the boss.

– Whoosh!

Flames surged. It was the flames that always appeared whenever she wished. The flames tinged with unpleasant emotions blazed even more intensely than before.

Thud! The leg supporting the flames slammed into the ground. The scenery receded as she pushed off with all her might, soaring into the sky.

– Wheeeee…!

As the aftermath of the explosion subsided, the body of the parasitic moth was revealed.

The teetering parasitic moth tilted to one side. Its left wing, hit by an arrow, was completely shredded, rendering it unable to continue flying.

She had thought of creating an opening with Baek Arin, but she hadn’t expected to create such a fatal opportunity.

Feeling death approaching, the parasitic moth struggled to distance itself from Hong Yeonhwa, but she was already closing in on it.

With bloodshot eyes, she glared at the parasitic moth.

Right now, Hong Yeonhwa was extremely angry. It was a fierce expression. She seemed like she could explode at any moment.

What Fear best absorbed was the owner’s emotions. Therefore, the user of Fear had to know how to utilize emotions as well.

Various thoughts swirled around, leading to one conclusion.

The culprit of all these emotions was that damn monster.

It was okay to pass the blame. She thought simply. By doing so, she efficiently burned her emotions.

‘Not yet.’

Rank 5. She had tried to take it down alone once, but she felt something was lacking at this level. She wasn’t confident she could kill it.

Even if she could kill it, she didn’t want to send it off gently.

Uniqueness that set her apart from other entities. The authority to assert her independence in a world filled with abilities.

That was the Unique Ability.

‘Fear.’

A flame that burned herself and the world, leaving nothing but hatred behind.

Although it burned everything like firewood, it particularly burned emotions well. For that purpose, it had the characteristic of amplifying the owner’s emotions.

Fear was a Unique Ability that was hard to classify.

It was an attribute that manifested flames and strengthened the body by manifesting them internally.

It also brought several advantages in combat, making it a combat-oriented ability.

Being unique.

Being distinct from others.

Being unique was not enough. The first transcendent beings and those living in this moment would all think the same.

Even if one is unique now, it is uncertain whether they will remain special and unique in the future.

To stand still while everyone else is moving forward is equivalent to regression.

Therefore, one must progress. Instead of being satisfied with the present, uniqueness must be expanded.

She approached right in front of the parasitic moth’s nose. It was a golden opportunity that hadn’t existed since the ambush. Hong Yeonhwa dropped the sword in her hand and reached out her hand.

Fear entwined around her hand like a thread.

‘Expansion Ability.’

Kaehwa (開火).

Whoosh. The flames in her hand extinguished. The flames that had roughened her body suddenly disappeared.

The increase in physical abilities added by Fear also vanished.

Instead.

– Whoosh-!

A fierce flame unlike before erupted from her hand.

Choice and focus.

Discarding trivial details and focusing solely on output.

“Burn.”

– Roaaaar-!

A deep red light covered the sky. Intense heat spread in all directions.

The body of the parasitic moth engulfed head-on by flames briefly appeared as a shadow.

However, the shadow flickered anxiously like a torch before a storm, unable to properly manifest and hiding its appearance in vain.

.

.

.

Hong Yeonhwa, who had poured out her fear until the very end, landed on the ground.

The once intact ground was now melting and scorched in various places, a complete mess.

She had controlled it. She deliberately opened up towards the sky to minimize the impact on the ground.

But that couldn’t stop her worries. Hong Yeonhwa frantically looked around.

In the distance, a dome-shaped ice structure was visible. It was Baek Arin’s preparation for the aftermath.

Hong Yeonhwa hesitated and rushed towards that direction.

As she approached, the ice split apart, revealing Baek Arin, Elia, and Lee Hayul inside.

“Hayul…!”

Worry filled Hong Yeonhwa’s face. Lee Hayul looked extremely uneasy.

His breathing was rough, his face flushed, and his body swayed weakly, as if he could collapse at any moment.

Pushing past Baek Arin and Elia, she immediately approached Lee Hayul.

“Hayul! Are you okay?! What should I do… Oh, right! Healing! Arin! Heal Hayul… No, before that! Arm! Hayul, show me your arm over there!”

Trembling, Hong Yeonhwa waved her hands, feeling dizzy from using a large amount of magic.

“?”

Lee Hayul tilted his head. After hesitating for a moment, he reached out his arm.

– Poof

“…Huh?”

A sense of satisfaction filled her chest. Hong Yeonhwa let out a surprised sigh. Then, she wrapped her arms around his waist.

Her eyes widened as she looked down.

Lee Hayul was snugly nestled in her arms.

“Huh…?”

Her mind was in disarray. But strangely, her mind quickly analyzed the current situation.

For some reason, the flames that erupted from Lee Hayul’s arm were similar to… no, they were flames.

Flames, a unique ability.

Characterized by burning emotions roughly like firewood.

The drawback is that it stirs up the owner’s emotions, but there are advantages as well.

Stirring up emotions…

After a series of thoughts, Hong Yeonhwa’s gaze swept over Lee Hayul’s face.

The flushed cheeks, rough breath, and faint moans coming from his lips…

Although it was a similar expression to before, once he was in her arms, his expression relaxed considerably.

After understanding the situation, along with her worries, another emotion unexpectedly arose.

“…Gulp.”

Hong Yeonhwa swallowed her saliva.