episode_0241

‘What is this?’

As I said before, I was already an Awakened one, so I’m not sure how to express this. Still, there was one thing I could clearly state.

One more step. I had evolved.

CRACKLE!

The moment I stretched out my fist, a blue lightning bolt surged and shot straight forward. It was merely a short thrust and a quick retraction, but the result was far from light.

[WAAARGH…!]

This time, a truly desperate scream burst out. The giant, having lost one of its three arms, staggered violently. I watched the giant, who was trying to retreat a step, with curious eyes.

‘…It’s light.’

My body, too. It’s a cliché, but yes. My body felt like a feather. There were no obstacles or restrictions in moving, and I felt no discomfort in dealing with that giant. A confidence that if I just kept pressing on like this, I could truly defeat it without difficulty. Such certainty existed. For that reason, I swiftly flew one more step forward, directly advancing to the giant’s face.

[…]

SWISH!

As soon as it noticed my approach, I effortlessly dodged the monster’s swiftly swinging arm. I was tempted to utter a line like ‘Too slow,’ in a low, deep voice, but…

HUMMM! BOOOOM!

“Whoops.”

Still, it wasn’t an opponent I could completely ignore. It was a rather familiar attack method. Lasers, even from those grotesque eyes? Perhaps all the giants from the other dimension are born equipped with super electromagnetic cannons. Such useless curiosity arose, but of course, it wasn’t particularly significant.

CRACKLE!

After all, wouldn’t it freeze solid and be unable to move with a single gesture from me? The cold climbed up its legs, paralyzing its entire body. For the first time, it felt like an expression appeared on the giant’s face. Although its features weren’t distinct, it meant that emotions were certainly revealed. The name of that emotion, of course, was — bewilderment.

THWACK!

This time, it was close-quarters combat. I imbued my entire body with all the magic I had invoked so far, and immediately kicked the giant hard in the face. Unidentifiable black fluid splattered and sprayed into the sky.

“Ugh.”

It looked truly repulsive to touch. I uttered a voice full of contempt. Then, after executing an effortless evasive maneuver, I landed on the giant’s shoulder this time.

[Grr, GROOOOAAAARGH…!]

The moment it realized an enemy was on its body, it began to convulse. It stretched out its hand to grab me, while also frantically shaking its body a half-beat too late.

“Hmph.”

Even so, it wasn’t enough to make me lose my balance, so I disregarded it and immediately clenched my fist. This awakened state felt like I could do anything. I don’t know how long this will last. All I can be certain of is that this state of mine is somehow connected to the terribly fissured rift in the sky above, and…

“…Even if this state suddenly ends, I can definitely eliminate you.”

[…]

“You don’t believe me? Just wait, it’ll be over soon.”

BOOM!

And then, an explosion.

[URGH?!]

It was a simple task. I extended my fist. Cold, lightning, and flames spread out in a fan shape. With a single punch, a fusion of the three colors, its neck dangled loosely. In other words… its neck was in a state where it wouldn’t be strange if it severed completely with a mere tap. The monster tried to frantically reattach its head, but I wasn’t about to just stand and watch.

“Not so fast.”

[…]

It’s time to finish this. With that thought, I stepped on air again, just as I was about to position myself near its shoulder.

-Just a moment, Hyunjin-gun.

“…?”

A voice was heard. The low voice of someone who shouldn’t possibly be heard at this moment.

‘President-nim?’

The owner of the voice was none other than Yang Chan-ho. I was greatly flustered and looked around, but naturally, no one was in sight. It was only belatedly that I realized this voice was resonating directly within my mind. And where this connected sound was coming from. I looked up at the sky with a surprised expression.

It was the rift. The torn sky. Presumably, this world’s hero, Yang Chan-ho, was fiercely fighting with the master of the other dimension there. Such a Yang Chan-ho had contacted me. Magic… it didn’t seem to be. It was then that I frowned at this unknown method of communication.

-I never imagined you’d step into this realm too.

‘Huh?’

-No, to be precise, I thought it would take you another five or ten years. How on earth did you manage to become like us so quickly?

Yang Chan-ho continued with his incomprehensible words, his tone accompanied by a hint of laughter. ‘Realm,’ what’s that suddenly? And ‘us,’ who is he roping into this?

[ROOOAAAARGH!]

“Ah, just shut up for a moment.”

Perhaps it thought I was showing an opening. It watched for an opportunity before suddenly rushing forward, and I roughly smacked its face. The monster, having taken a direct hit, bled black fluid again and painfully clutched its face. I let out a short, empty breath while looking at the monster, then looked up at the sky again.

‘So… what exactly is this? Is it some secret communication magic created by the association?’

But if so, I don’t feel any mana at all. I tilted my head, unable to fully understand, but Yang Chan-ho simply burst into laughter.

-It’s not that, well. There’s no time to explain this unexplored realm to you in detail right now, and I don’t know all the specifics myself…

‘Huh?’

-The main point right now isn’t anything else, but that we need to coordinate our timing a bit.

‘…?’

I stared at Yang Chan-ho with a bewildered expression as he uttered more incomprehensible words. More accurately, I was just persistently gazing beyond the sky, but anyway.

-Disciple-nim!

“…Oh.”

The third voice that followed could only be a welcome sound to me. The woman whose voice I could never mistake, who in some ways had spent the longest time with me.

‘Master-nim? Can you do this too? Like, talk back and forth in my head?’

-Your phrasing is quite crude, but yes. Well, of course. Am I just an ordinary mage? Perhaps Sister also could do it, though.

‘Ooh…’

So, there was another truth they knew among themselves? From what I hear, it seems to be a type of realm that isn’t restricted to melee or magic systems. In any case, it was quite a wondrous thing. I waited for their words, feeling a little excited.

-I won’t speak at length, Disciple-nim. Honestly, there’s no time for that, *gasp*, *tsk*. *Phew*…

From the other side, I felt faint but violent sounds of something crashing and exploding being transmitted. It seemed the battle was still ongoing. Soon after, Master-nim took a short breath, then continued speaking to me in a serious voice.

-The giant you are currently fighting, Disciple-nim, is like an avatar of the master of the other dimension whom we are handling in this space.

‘…’

-It’s not merely a concept of dividing a body… but a ‘true’ avatar that is much more closely connected. Do you understand what I mean?

‘…Yes, Master-nim.’

And with that brief explanation, I looked back at the giant once more. My gaze at the monster was colder than before.

‘The gist is, for them to deal with him over there… and for me to kill this bastard here, it needs to happen almost simultaneously. Is that right?’

I posed the question implicitly, and Seol Hayeon and Yang Chan-ho replied simultaneously.

-That’s correct.

-That’s right.

“Hmph.”

Then I blew a breath to neatly clear my bangs that were obstructing my vision. So that’s how it is. After muttering briefly to myself, I drew up my mana. I understood the situation. I certainly thought they were bothersome bastards. And it seemed its regeneration ability had significantly improved just a moment ago…

‘So, there’s no point in killing one if the other is still alive, is there?’

It was an exceedingly tricky opponent. Even among all the enemies I had faced. But somehow, did I feel unprecedented tension and fear? Well…

“Coordinating timing, huh…”

On the contrary.

“It’s not difficult at all.”

Right now, I stood at a higher realm than ever before, my vision expanded, and I was enveloped in a sense of omnipotence, feeling capable of anything. Therefore, there was nothing difficult about it.

‘Just give me the signal. I’ll perfectly time it and blow that bastard’s head off.’

-Is that so? Then…

And the answer returned swiftly.

-NOW!!

‘?’