episode_0195

Familiar explosions and ear-piercing screams come from all directions.

The defense system that Cradle boasted about was of no use now.

In the midst of the chaos that unfolded without warning, Lee Hyeon was running hurriedly towards the main building.

He seemed to be more absorbed in someone else, trying to forget what had just happened.

“Haa, haa… !”

A spacious garden spread out behind the main building. A century-old tree stands in its center.

To someone who asked me to be down there by midnight.

“Wake up! Why are you suddenly doing this…!”

“Kkwah… !”

Even while moving my body without rest, information from my surroundings continued to flow in through my heightened senses.

The chaos began without any warning. Even the purpose and the subject were unknown at this point.

He saw the face of a mob that cast spells indiscriminately on people and objects.

From young to old. There was nothing in common except that they were all male. There was no trace of black magic or even the smell of animals.

What is certain, however, is that they are running wild, seemingly intent on further adding to the confusion.

None of these situations were normal.

Because the people who were being spammed with magic were the people around them who had just been laughing and enjoying the festival together.

The pungent smell of blood tickles your nose. The acrid smoke of death envelops the surroundings.

But even in the midst of all that, he didn’t stop moving.

Right now, he had something more important to do than anything else.

It’s about checking on Yeonminha’s safety.

“Blade… this.”

He absentmindedly placed his hand on his waist and let out a small curse. The empty weight made him even more anxious. He was resentful of himself today, having become accustomed to the cradle rule that he could not carry personal weapons on a regular basis.

However, it is too late to stop by the personal armory.

In the end, all he could do was keep running forward.

In the meantime, we arrived at the main building. The place that was always filled with the lively chatter of students had long since become a mess.

Hyun Lee stopped dead in his tracks after discovering something in front of the entrance.

In the midst of the blazing flames, a large man was lifting someone up while grabbing their neck.

-Bang!

“Cough… !”

The person who was thrown against the wall after being blown away was a member of the security unit that was always stationed at the cradle. The fact that he was easily subdued was enough to easily guess the attacker’s skills.

Soon after, a large man detects Lee Hyeon’s presence and approaches him, revealing himself in full.

“What, it’s a kid this time.”

The face of a kind person who would never commit such an evil deed. The sight of him smiling broadly with his slanted eyes is extremely bizarre.

The man’s fancy uniform made Lee Hyun’s mind even more confused. The National Guard. An elite unit consisting of 100 powerful magicians. Some of them had been dispatched to protect the cradle during this social event.

It was impossible not to be confused when one of these people showed up to join in on the chaos.

-Ding! Ding! Ding…

And the moment he blocked my way.

Lee Hyun could hear the twelve chimes ringing from the clock tower.

***

“Get out of the way.”

Hyun Lee, whose heart was growing impatient, glared at the man and muttered.

He scratched his head as if he was sorry.

“I’m sorry, kid. I have work to do.”

Contrary to what he said, he seemed to have no intention of getting out of the way.

The man was about to smile in embarrassment. In the blink of an eye, he approached and swung his huge blade lightly as if it were chopsticks.

“Ugh… !”

-Bam! Bang!

A sharp crashing sound rang out, deafening. The stairs where Lee Hyun was standing and the surrounding garden trees were instantly shattered into pieces.

Lee Hyun quickly dug into his arms and provoked him into close combat.

-bang!

But the man simply deflects his attacks by holding up a blade the size of his torso as a shield.

Lee Hyeon clenched his teeth as he did a somersault and landed backwards.

The attacker pushed him forward without giving him a moment to rest. The heavy blade was sharp as if it would crush him.

Although he seemed to be swinging his sword, there was absolutely no room for error in the man’s posture.

Although he may not be as skilled as Sa Jae-hyeok, he was definitely skilled enough to fight at a lower level. He simply did not have the skills to fight without a weapon.

Lee Hyun, who was barely avoiding his attack, thought about something. He soon landed on the ground and lowered his posture as if he was going to rush straight at him.

And then the next moment. I dashed into his arms and threw a punch.

“Puhahaha! You know it won’t work, right? To that extent… Huh?”

The man who had been laughing heartily suddenly made a mysterious expression. The power of the particles that had been wrapped around his entire body was not felt at all. It was very strange that it disappeared in an instant as if it had never existed in the first place.

And before the man even realized anything.

A fist reinforced with particles hits him directly in the disarmed stomach.

-Pfft!

“Ugh!”

The man let out a painful groan as the shock twisted his insides.

Lee Hyun didn’t miss the gap and struck him in the jaw in the same position he was in.

-Koosh!

It seemed as if he could no longer endure it as his brain was shaken to the point of shock. Soon, the man’s eyes lost focus and his huge body lost its balance and collapsed.

Lee Hyeon jumped up on it as if it were a hill.

And the moment he was about to snatch the man’s blade and plunge it into his neck.

“I found a big bear! Over here…!”

“Prepare to subdue immediately! In a siege formation… Huh?”

Along with the voice he heard, several human figures appeared in an instant and surrounded him.

“What’s that guy? He subdued a big bear without a weapon?”

“Huh? Come to think of it, that mask… ”

They skillfully formed a line and approached, but for a moment they made a bewildered expression. They were all magicians wearing the same uniform as the fallen man.

Judging from the conversation going on, it seemed like they were planning to deal with a large man.

“Stop, kid.”

A slender woman walked out from among the surrounding wizards and stopped Lee Hyeon from killing the man.

“… Are you guys in league with this guy too?”

Lee Hyun aimed his blade at her and muttered with a wary expression.

“Well, if we really have to be specific, it’s a pack… No, no!”

The woman who had been muttering hurriedly changed the subject when she saw Lee Hyeon’s fingers tightening.

“We also heard the report and came to catch him. We don’t have a proper grasp of the situation.”

She glanced at the fallen man.

“Why did that guy who was sane suddenly go crazy… ”

Then he spoke to Lee Hyeon, who still showed signs of caution, as if trying to appease him.

“I am the 4th rank in the Royal Guard, Black Cat. I am the most senior commander of the Cradle Dispatch. You have heard my code name, right?”

She shrugged her shoulders as if showing off.

“Well, you know what I mean. There was a huge ad in the newspaper this morning. Always ranked first in the Royal Guard popularity polls… ”

“I don’t know. It’s my first time hearing about it.”

“Huh?”

The woman made a blank expression at the dull answer. A small laugh broke out among those surrounding her.

She coughed a couple of times with an embarrassed look on her face before opening her mouth again.

“… Ahem, anyway, if an outsider were to carelessly touch a magician belonging to the Royal Guard, it could be a nuisance. ”

“… ”

“The interrogation will definitely proceed. I promise it on my name. So why don’t you leave it at that and leave it to us to decide?”

Lee Hyeon, who had been hesitating, finally lowered the tip of his sword. The woman who saw him finally let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank you, kid.”

It was about the time when she approached the masked man in a more friendly manner.

“And I saw earlier that you’re really skilled. You’re the second son of Heukryeon, right? The rumors are really good. I can tell just by looking at your mask… Wait! ”

The masked man turned away as if he had no interest in her. Then, in an instant, he disappeared from the messy entrance.

“Hey! Come quickly and put handcuffs on me! What about the guard?”

“I’m alive. I think I was just suppressed.”

“Thank goodness. We’ll transfer him to the clinic and move on to the next point… ”

Among the people moving busily and shouting, the magician Black Cat muttered while looking at the place he had left.

“… Am I being ignored?”

***

“Haa, haa… ”

After running without stopping, Lee Hyeon was finally able to reach the entrance of the garden.

He was about to head straight into the forest when he noticed something and stopped abruptly, focusing his attention.

Here and there on the ground, new terrain features appear. Upon closer inspection, I see the shape of a person lying there motionless.

Blood splattered everywhere and broken trees were clear signs of battle.

“No… ”

Lee Hyun muttered and staggered. Without further delay, he ran into the garden. All sorts of thoughts were swirling around in his head.

The deeper he went, the brighter the sky became. His head was completely covered with luminous leaves that glowed a mysterious blue.

A vast garden. A huge tree with roots in the center and branches spreading out in all directions.

And finally, we reached the base of the giant stump of the century-old tree.

Lee Hyun’s head turned white when he faced the empty space.

Because I couldn’t find any signs of life around.

“No… No… ”

He clutched his head as if in despair. Then, with trembling steps, he set out again to look for someone.

“Senior! Where are you! Min-ha Senior!”

I shouted hoarsely to my surroundings, but all that came back was an echo.

“Where are you! Answer me!! What a pity!”

Even though I shouted until my throat was bloody, there was no answer. I searched through the thornbush on the side of the road, covered in blood, but I couldn’t find any trace of Yeonminha.

“This… ”

He was mumbling as if he had lost his strength and was lost in thought.

As his vision suddenly brightened, Lee Hyeon looked in front of him without realizing it.

“Huh… ?”

A flock of colorful butterflies. Their fluttering, translucent wings let you know they are not of this world.

A spirit appears out of nowhere. Lee Hyeon, distracted by it, stares at the swarm of butterflies in the night sky as if possessed.

Just as he was about to realize something.

-Pok!

A soft, smooth sensation that digs into his back. Two thin, slender arms extend out and wrap around him from behind.

“… It’s late.”

And the next moment, the voice of someone who was both blunt and sullen was heard.