Part 1 Chapter 4 (20)

Yeouido.

Flames surged. Jihwa trembled but couldn’t release her ability.

“H-Heeek!”

The Barrier clearly prevented enemy entry. The Pine Tree Unit, led by Cheol-pyo, diligently pounded on the Barrier from outside, but the Azure Flame Barrier had spread not only across the Speaker’s office door but also the walls, ceiling, and even the floor.

“Captain! It’s definitely in here, right?!”

“One hundred percent!”

Cheol-pyo pounded on the Barrier with a voice full of conviction. His steel fists stirred the flames, melting them away, but Cheol-pyo, as if high on drugs, continued to strike the Barrier with a face full of ecstasy.

“If we just find it, we’re out, you bastard!”

It was unclear what they were looking for. But there was a guess.

The Cube.

The unidentified magic tool that Phoenix had found after killing the monster in the main assembly hall. They must have come to find that item, which created and resurrected monsters.

‘It’s not here!’

Would Phoenix, in their right mind, have left such an item here? Jihwa wanted to shout ‘It’s not here!’ to the outside immediately, but that would only provoke the enemies further.

Just then. A savior appeared in Jihwa’s eyes.

“Ah!”

From far down the corridor, Phoenix, in their monstrous human form, walked towards the Speaker’s office. They seemed to have already visited the main assembly hall, as they were embracing Gaeul’s corpse.

Jihwa, the Beacon monstrous human, instinctively realized. What had been Cheon Gaeul’s corpse had become a monstrous human like herself.

“Who are you!”

Cheol-pyo roared, seeing Phoenix and Cheon Gaeul appear from behind him. The one whose entire body was ablaze with the same color as the Barrier. They were clearly either related to this Barrier or the one who cast it.

“Give us the item!!”

Cheol-pyo charged. His subordinates, eyes wide with madness, also rushed at Phoenix.

Pasuk.

Phoenix slightly clenched and then opened their right hand, which was holding Gaeul.

Peong.

The faces of the Pine Tree Unit ability users who were charging exploded.

Their faces burned blue, and the ability users collapsed in the corridor.

Jeobeok, jeobeok.

Phoenix, who had instantly created several corpses with burnt faces, calmly entered the Barrier. Jihwa released her ability and quickly knelt down.

“I apologize!”

[Why did you let Cheon Gaeul leave the Barrier?]

The thought that pierced her mind clearly contained anger. Jihwa decided to get straight to the point rather than make a lengthy explanation that would only anger them further.

“Cheon Gaeul-nim awakened as an ability user, attacked me, and then ran out of the Barrier!”

[What?]

Phoenix’s body, which had placed Cheon Gaeul on the sofa, burst into flames. A transition from monstrous human form to human form. Phoenix mulled over Jihwa’s words.

“Cheon Gaeul awakened as an ability user? Masquerade… Ah, so that’s it.”

Phoenix ran a hand over the mask on Gaeul’s head.

Masquerade’s ability, which copies the opponent’s appearance and powers, is realized through the image of a ‘mask’. Although its form had changed due to monsterification, if it was the monsterification of an ability user rather than a human, it made sense.

Masquerade’s ability covered the Tentacle Toad. The mask devoured all of the Tentacle Toad’s mana, and the Tentacle Toad, as its final proof of existence, left Gaeul with nine tail-like tentacles.

“Masked monstrous human…? Tentacle monstrous human…? Either way, it’s not bad.”

As Phoenix mused to themselves, seemingly coming to a conclusion, Jihwa quickly summarized the situation that had just occurred to lessen her responsibility a little.

“Th-The Heroes committed a massacre in Dongjak. It seemed to be the Pine Tree Unit, and Gaeul-ssi said we had to stop them, and I tried to stop her, and there was a struggle.”

“And then she awakened?”

“Yes.”

“My goodness. What kind of timing is that?”

Phoenix let out a hearty laugh and slumped into a chair. At Phoenix’s gesture to stand, Jihwa hesitantly got up.

“Jihwa-ssi, you’re still B-class, aren’t you? But you lost to an ability user who just awakened?”

“……I was knocked out by the aftershock of the awakening. Her initial awakening was A-class.”

“Wow.”

Phoenix was surprised.

“I thought she’d be about C-class even if she awakened.”

To think she awakened much earlier than in the original story, and her initial awakening was close to the maximum limit of awakening. She had been playing with the Core every day, getting close to it, and eventually even sleeping with it. It seemed the result of that effort had finally shone through.

But in the end, Cheon Gaeul bypassed Jihwa and escaped the Barrier. Jihwa’s combat ability was not enough to stop an A-class ability user.

“It’s all Cheon Gaeul’s fault, after all. Ugh.”

Jihwa must have tried hard to stop Gaeul, as she had been given the order. Jihwa let out a big sigh of relief.

“Phew. …Phoenix-nim.”

“Yes?”

“May I report on the current war situation? As you commanded, I took over command, so the situation is a bit…”

“Oh, you actually did it?”

At Phoenix’s words, Jihwa nodded.

“How did you convey the orders?”

“I delivered orders to each team like a courier. By sending one team member from the Guro area to another outlying team…”

“Alright. Let’s see.”

Jihwa used her ability again to illuminate the map of the battlefield. Phoenix quickly scanned the entire Seoul area and bit their lip.

“Seolhwa Princess can’t stop the fireball, Gangnam is defeated. All the Hellhounds are dead. The kids in Guro already ran away. Dongjak… Oh, they’re in combat?”

“Huh?”

“Ah. One moment, mic.”

Phoenix tapped their smartwatch to bring up a screen. The video call connected to Architect and Haneulseong. The two, who had escaped underground from Gangnam, were currently in fierce combat in Dongjak.

Architect responded.

– You weren’t answering, and now suddenly what is it?!

“I’m sorry. But didn’t I contact you when I was busy?”

– If you know, then do something about it!

“Puhuhu. Of course, I contacted you to do something. What would you like me to do?”

– There are crazy bastards here who are Heroes! Do something!

What should I do?!

Haneulseong exchanged blows with the rampaging Heroes. Several Heroes had already been subdued and gagged by the two, their bodies covered in bruises. Those who were subduing and restraining the Heroes with Core Weapons were all members of the Azure Syndicate who had come up from Guro and Gangnam.

Phoenix looked at Jihwa. Jihwa made excuses, as if something was bothering her.

“B-Before you left, you told me to give orders… So I contacted Architect to stop the murderers in Dongjak… There was also Gaeul-ssi’s problem and the deal with Architect-“

“You did well. I hope you continue to do so, Kim Jihwa-ssi.”

“Th-Thank you. Keuheup.”

Tears welled up in Jihwa’s demonic eyes. When the battlefield map blurred for a moment, Jihwa hastily wiped her tears with her sleeve.

Phoenix turned their gaze to the screen.

“But what are they?”

– I don’t know! Almost 100 Dongjak refugees died just from these guys!

Phoenix clicked their tongue at Architect’s angry shout.

No matter if he was the king of the underground, there must have been those who didn’t trust Architect or left the underground out of anxiety. Although their intentions for leaving were different, just as Gaeul left the Barrier, they too had to accept the consequences of their actions.

Because if they had stayed hidden quietly, they would have survived.

Phoenix cautiously opened their mouth.

“Architect? Our deal…”

– I know! We were wrong on this side. We should have broken their legs to keep them from leaving. …It’s fine! It’s their responsibility for not trusting me and running away from the burrow. But can I ask for one favor?

Anger flickered in Architect’s eyes.

– Let me beat those Hero bastards until they’re just about to die. No matter what, these were people we lived with, digging underground for years. They’re not monster bastards, but they died unfairly at the hands of other people-and Hero bastards at that-so shouldn’t we at least comfort their souls?

“Neck.”

Phoenix pointed to their neck.

“The ones with the Pine Tree emblem on their necks, right? Check them. Are there any?”

– Emblem? Pine Tree?

Architect flipped over the necks of the subdued individuals one by one to check. All of them, who had lost their will to fight, had the Pine Tree emblem, which was also the proof of the Pine Tree Unit.

– All of them have it?

Kaaang!!

Haneulseong crushed and subdued the red-haired man. He also had a Pine Tree emblem on his neck.

– S-Save me! I didn’t kill anyone!

– That’s what he says.

Haneulseong, with his muscular body, panted. The excitement of battle hadn’t faded, and he looked as if he was about to stomp the red-haired man to death.

“Good. It’s good timing, I had a gift to send over here too. Architect!”

Phoenix drew a line across their own neck with a hand.

“Whether you slice them to death or beat them to death, it’s fine. Those guys. Just their necks. Just cut off their necks and collect them carefully. When you cut them, make sure the part with the emblem stays attached to the head. Understand?”

– …Pardon?

Architect was flustered. Phoenix tapped the armrest of the chair, then continued their explanation.

“So you can kill them. Kill them All. OK?”

– But didn’t you say not to kill Heroes before?

Haneulseong, who had finished restraining the red-haired man, Jeok Song, released his ability and returned to his original form.

– Even if they’re rotten, they’re still sea bream. These guys are government-affiliated Heroes. Can you handle the aftermath?

Phoenix tapped their collarbone as if annoyed.

“That’s about regular Heroes. Those Pine Tree Unit guys, if you let them go, they’re just trash who’ll go around killing people again. So, do as you wish and dispose of them somewhere out of sight. Understand?”

– Kukuk! Understood, Boss!

Architect theatrically knelt on one knee and saluted. Haneulseong also placed his fedora over his chest and bowed his head.

Behind him were his subordinates who had followed him and survived by escaping.

– Thank you so far. Anyway, for letting us escape from the Heroes. But what now? Two S-class are still going strong.

“What are you talking about? I’m on my way back after crushing both of them.”

Phoenix retorted curtly. To the bewildered Haneulseong, Phoenix sent an article.

[Breaking News] Fire Fist Lee Seung-hyung coughs blood, transported from Guro

“Satisfied?”

– What other trick… No, never mind. You must have used some outlandish method again, like with the Hellhounds. Then what about Seolhwa Princess?

“Seolhwa Princess? Puhuhu. Right about now…”

Phoenix licked their lips and chuckled.

“She’s probably busy stopping that rolling bomb, isn’t she?”

* * *

A gigantic fireball rolled.

Like a Fire Dragon breaking down a mountain path, the sphere of blue flame showed no sign of stopping, accelerating more and more.

“Eek!”

Harang gritted her teeth and squeezed out mana. She erected a thick ice wall in the fireball’s path. The wall was nearly 3 meters thick. The ice fortress seemed impenetrable, allowing no siege.

Suddenly, the voice she had heard just moments ago flashed in Harang’s mind.

Flashy, but lacking substance.

Wajangchang!

The fireball smashed through the ice wall and continued to roll down the slope. Harang’s butterfly wings flapped again, chasing the fireball.

“Headquarters! Respond! Now!”

The mana response was unstable, but she barely managed to contact Headquarters. On the connected screen, only an operator dispatched from the association was present, not Shin Jingwang.

“Where are the others?!”

– Th-They all evacuated!

They too had already realized the destructive power of the fireball. Shin Jingwang had immediately ordered the Headquarters personnel to evacuate, and people quickly left the sports complex.

The operator who contacted Harang did not evacuate. Of his own will.

“What are you doing! Evacuate now!”

Harang urged, but the man firmly shook his head.

– I cannot! The mana pattern of the newly appeared ability user, and the data from this battle! The transmission to Headquarters is not yet complete!

And…

The man continued with a resolute expression.

– If any living Heroes contact this place, shouldn’t someone be here to receive them?!

“You idiot! What do you mean you won’t evacuate?!”

Harang yelled. The man chuckled and replied.

– Seolhwa Princess-nim!

He shouted with a determined face.

– Seolhwa Princess-nim, please stop it!

Gulp. Harang bit her lower lip.

The opponent was not someone who would understand through words. In that case, there was only one way to save that foolish person.

Harang had to stop it.

Dozens of ice walls were erected again in the fireball’s path.

Wajangchangchang!

But the fireball continued to smash through the ice walls one by one, showing no sign of stopping. Its size had slightly decreased, having lost some of its heat to the cold of the ice walls, but Harang’s mana was woefully insufficient to completely deplete its entire mana.

She had wasted too much mana battling the unidentified fire mage. Harang was furious that she couldn’t stop the fireball with her own strength.

“Aaaargh!!”

She was getting hot. She was annoyed. She was so angry at herself for being unable to stop a mere large fireball.

Kwagwagwagwang!

The fireball had already broken through the arboretum. Judging by its rolling speed so far, it would reach the command center in mere tens of seconds.

Just then. The operator shouted.

– Seolhwa Princess-nim!

The operator did not lose his smile until the end. He gave Seolhwa Princess a thumbs-up.

– Data preservation complete! Transmission, successful!

His smile, having completed his mission, even seemed frivolous. But Harang was certain. With the operator’s ability level, he couldn’t escape the fireball’s explosion radius in the remaining time.

Her blood boiled. She trembled with helplessness.

Suddenly, the words the fire mage had said during the previous battle came to mind.

The essence of mana within the image.

“!!”

A colossal image flashed in Harang’s mind.

A giant butterfly spreading ice wings in the deep sea.

Paseuseu.

The ice butterfly wings scattered like snowflakes. Harang then propelled mana from her back, overtaking the fireball.

Kiiiiiik—!

Harang, sliding on the icy path, created friction and came to a stop.

– Seolhwa Princess-nim?! It’s dangerous!

Harang landed directly in the fireball’s path. The end of the mountain road and the beginning of the asphalt road where the Fire Dragon had smashed buildings as it descended.

Seolhwa Princess stood directly in front of the fireball.

Gooooooo!

Harang’s hair fluttered. At the same time, a massive blizzard raged behind her, forming the shape of a giant.

A torso and two arms. A frost giant, without even a lower body or head, lowered its body and extended its arms forward. No other body parts were needed to stop the fireball.

The fireball entered the giant’s hands.

Kkigigigik!!

The frost giant was pushed back. The fireball shattered the frost giant’s hands and even broke its wrists, yet it did not stop rotating.

“Puhut!”

Mana surged backward. Harang instantly coughed up blood.

However, even in that painful moment, she did not release the flow of mana to the frost giant.

– Th-The speed is slowing down!

The operator’s report was no longer audible. Harang simply squeezed out all her remaining mana to maintain the giant’s form.

Gwanggeom had said to always hide 30% of one’s power. But Harang, for the first time, rebelled against that teaching. She would use her full power. She drew out mana as if emptying a mana tank that had never been depleted before.

The fire mage had said it was flashy but lacked substance. Harang half-accepted that criticism. If she couldn’t immediately fix the flashy image, then she would simply fill that flashiness with substance.

“I will!”

The frost giant’s forearm disappeared.

“I won’t let anyone die in front of me!”

The frost giant lowered its shoulder as if lying down completely, blocking the fireball with its body.

Woowoong!

Harang’s white pupils became transparent.

“Absolutely, not see it!!!!”

Puseuseu!

The frost giant’s body crumbled. At the same time, Harang extended both arms forward.

In front of Harang’s hands, gigantic butterfly wings unfolded.

Ice wings that enveloped the entire fireball. Although their thickness was as thin as paper, the tightly woven ice crystals were as firm as a fortress wall.

They were clearly different from the ice before.

Kwaang!

The fireball struck the ice wings. But the wings did not break, maintaining their original shape and gnawing at the fireball.

Puseuseuseu.

The fireball trembled. Cracks appeared on the outermost layer of the already unstable fireball, and then,

Kwa——–ang!!

It exploded grandly. A massive mana explosion crushed Harang, wings and all.

Kagagagang!!

Snowflakes fell from the wings as if scales were shedding. It looked as precarious as glass about to shatter into pieces, but Harang held onto her consciousness until the end, pouring mana into the shield.

“A A A A ARGH! !”

The last drop of mana, squeezed out, flowed into the wings. The top of the wings, which had been receiving the force of the explosion like an inverted umbrella, tilted, and the flames shot up into the sky.

Gooooooo!

The exploding pillar of fire surged upwards as if ascending to heaven.

“Haha, ha.”

Harang finally relaxed and collapsed. At the same time, the ice butterfly wings faded away like snowflakes.

Kwa———————-

The fireball that almost blew away the An-yang area exploded in mid-air. Harang smiled at the blue light that covered her vision and fell backward.

Her body was like a rag, but for now, she was satisfied that she had stopped it.

Harang’s consciousness went dark.

* * *

“It’s a failure.”

Seonui Cheol smiled bitterly, watching the blue pillar of fire on the TV.

Lee Seung-hyung, who should have been the protagonist, coughed blood, Seok Harang, who was placed as a supporting character, was defeated. And the command center was annihilated.

“But more than that…”

All the Pine Tree Unit Heroes deployed to Yeouido were dead. The location couldn’t be confirmed, but their last signal was Yeouido, the National Assembly Building.

“The Cube. It was in the National Assembly Building after all.”

Seonui Cheol ran his index finger over the scar on his left eye.

From the beginning, he wasn’t very interested in the success of this operation. The operation was successful simply by accurately identifying where the monstrous human hiding in Yeouido was. That monstrous human was still hiding with the Cube in the burnt National Assembly Building.

Everyone would demand accountability for the failure, but in the end, Seonui Cheol had confirmed the Cube’s whereabouts. All that remained was to go find it without anyone knowing.

“It’s my victory.”

A short while later, Seonui Cheol delivered a public statement.

The Seoul recapture operation failed.

He bowed his head and promised the citizens that such a thing would not happen again, using the failure of this hasty operation as a stepping stone.

No one noticed that the corners of Seonui Cheol’s eyes were slightly curved.