Ch.154Kiss of Fire 5

“I understand. After everything you’ve been through, it’s hard to trust easily.”

Councilwoman Park pulled up the corner of her mouth sympathetically.

Then she approached me and extended her hand.

“Would you come with me for a moment? I’ll just explain things slowly.”

My ability that enveloped her entire body, Angelic Hand.

The moment that ability connected with my faint light.

I could sense that Councilwoman Park had no malice.

So she really doesn’t intend to kill me.

I swallowed deeply and looked at her.

Councilwoman Park whispered in a gentle voice with an angelic smile.

“If you want, I’ll let you go right away, so don’t be afraid.”

Eventually, her hand interlocks with mine.

Then, with a subtle glow, the whole world began to blur.

Like watching a 3D movie, the world melted away.

Soon the red night sky turned into a blue day.

The broken penthouse transformed into an oasis on sand.

“What in the world is this…?”

I’m dumbfounded.

My stolen ability had this kind of technique too?

I thought it was just healing and memory reading.

Various elemental magic through cocktail potions.

I thought only these were possible.

To even teleport—it’s beyond amazing, it’s terrifying.

It’s already strange that Councilwoman Park’s hair has turned white.

Seeing this ability with my own eyes, I simply couldn’t believe it.

“Surprised? That your ability could be used like this.”

As if reading my thoughts, Park Shin-ae spoke calmly.

She bent her knee and placed red sand in her palm.

Then she held it out to me as if proving that this place was reality, not fiction.

I stare down at the red sand.

The way the sand poured through her fingers was too real to be a hologram or virtual reality.

“This is an oasis I created with my ability. Modeled after the Sea of Galilee.”

“You’re saying the ability can create virtual spaces too?”

Park Shin-ae didn’t readily answer my question.

She just stared at the cracked wasteland.

“You really don’t know anything. About your own ability.”

Park Shin-ae’s distant figure suddenly disappeared.

And then…

She appeared behind me in an instant and whispered.

“Shall I tell you? The secret of Angelic Hand.”

“Secret?”

I turned my head to look up at her.

Park Shin-ae nodded calmly.

“Every ability has conditions.”

She threw the sand she was clutching into the air.

Then Vice Chairwoman Na-hyun’s technique appeared as a hologram, just like I’d seen earlier.

“Ilsimgyeongcheon. Na-hyun Choi’s ability. A crude technique that gathers her life force at the tip of her sword and detonates it.”

Does that mean the Vice Chairwoman’s lifespan is shortened every time she uses the technique?

To use such a powerful technique for my sake…

“Similarly, Angelic Hand comes with a cost. Moreover, the penalty for that ability was more demanding than any other.”

Park Shin-ae extended her light-filled hand toward me.

That light was dozens of times brighter than what remained in my hand now.

“My ability had a penalty?”

I had never thought about it that way.

I just thought I felt a little tired after using it, nothing more.

What price have I been paying all this time?

As if to answer this, Park Shin-ae raised her finger.

And pointed that finger at her temple.

Like someone committing suicide with a gun.

“Happy memories.”

The moment I heard those words, I was speechless.

It was an answer I never expected.

“Your first love was a girl named Jisoo, wasn’t it? That child who was my test subject.”

“…”

“While staying with Jeoksa and Anna, didn’t your feelings for that girl gradually become blurry?”

My memories of Jisoo becoming blurry?

What is she talking about?

There’s no way I could forget her…

I frantically searched through my mind.

And tried to recall memories with her.

But…

No matter how hard I tried, only the blind notion that I loved her came to mind.

The memories we shared together were hazy.

Instead, there were only repeated days spent with Jeoksa and Anna.

This was one of the reasons I had been running away without revealing my identity as Do-hyun when I met her.

“It uses happy memories as fuel, and requires a good heart as the inlet to use it.”

A good heart?

It’s already terrifying to hear that my memories are being erased, but to use it, I need to have a good character?

That’s complete nonsense.

If that were true, it would mean that Councilwoman Park, who stole and is using my ability, is also a good person.

“Stop lying. If a good heart is required for the ability to manifest, there’s no way you could use it!”

I pushed her away as she stood behind me.

But far from being pushed away, Park Shin-ae firmly grabbed my arm.

And she spoke softly.

“That’s not true. Because I love this world more than anyone.”

The councilwoman grabbed my face and forced me to look at the sky.

With my gaze fixed,

holograms of various parts of the current world appeared before me.

“America, China, Europe. Africa.”

She points out each country with her finger.

And the scenes that unfolded in those places…

Chinese hunters fighting monsters.

Terrorist attacks by criminal hunter groups across America.

European countries blocking immigrants fleeing from nations destroyed by monsters.

Rituals in Africa where people sacrifice their own children to appease monsters.

Every single one was a dystopia.

“There, you see? These are the events consuming the world right now.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, unable to bear these unbearable sights.

Then Park Shin-ae whispered to me like an angel.

“Open your eyes. I’ll show you what will happen when Angelic Hand is complete.”

At those words, I slowly half-opened my eyes.

The world that unfolded afterward…

People trading, laughing, and chatting peacefully in markets without fighting.

Everyone praying together in churches.

“This is what it looks like when all humans on Earth lose one emotion—anger—in exchange for you losing all your memories.”

I can’t believe it.

My ability can eliminate one emotion from all humans on Earth?

“I’m willing to sacrifice all my memories for the sake of humanity.”

Park Shin-ae placed her hand on her chest and declared proudly.

Then she looked me in the eye and spoke calmly.

“You couldn’t do that, could you? Your head must be full of good memories you’ve made with Anna, Jeoksa, and Jisoo.”

She’s right.

I don’t want to lose any more memories.

I’ve already tasted enough of that pain.

Through Hypnos.

“—.”

As if her business was finished, Park Shin-ae clapped her hands again.

At that moment.

The vast desert and wasteland that had spread out disappeared.

And we returned to the collapsed 24th floor of the penthouse.

There, five angels were still pointing their swords at the Vice Chairwoman.

With her abdomen pierced, she lay on the floor, breathing heavily.

“So please give me your ability. If you hand it over, you won’t lose your memories.”

Park Shin-ae terminated Angelic Hand.

As a result, I could no longer tell if her words were true.

Honestly, I’m conflicted.

It’s true that I’ve survived thanks to my ability until now.

But now, I won’t completely die without it.

Because I have precious people by my side now.

Besides, Park Shin-ae.

Although she’s tormented me all this time, she clearly believes she’ll use the ability for good.

If it’s true that my ability only manifests when used for righteous purposes.

And if it’s also true that I won’t lose my memories in the process of transferring the ability.

“Siho…, I don’t know what proposal that woman made, but don’t ever agree to it!”

The Vice Chairwoman shouted loudly from where she lay on the floor.

But Na-hyun showed no reaction to her interference.

Rather, she simply waited, as if respecting my decision.

“If I don’t agree, will you kill the Vice Chairwoman…?”

I glared at Park Shin-ae as I asked.

She narrowed her eyes and said quietly.

“I suppose so.”

“Then if you kill someone for your own selfish desires, you won’t be able to use the ability, right?”

I try one last test.

“That’s fine. For the greater cause, sacrifices must be made. Many people have already willingly given their lives to reach this state.”

As I thought.

Park Shin-ae hasn’t changed.

No, her appearance might have changed, but her filthy inner self remained the same.

Good heart? She wasn’t good—she was exploiting the “good heart” condition of Angelic Hand.

“The reason I took Siho to my private space earlier was to give you faith. Forcibly extracting it would damage the ability.”

Park Shin-ae now seemed irritated and became serious.

She picked up Na-hyun’s sword from the floor.

“Don’t you understand yet? I’ve kindly explained my cause to ease your guilt about transferring the ability. So stop being difficult and hand it over obediently.”

The sword she raised into the air begins to move slightly.

And the trajectory of that sword points directly at the Vice Chairwoman’s neck.

The shadow of the sword falls on the Vice Chairwoman’s head.

At that moment, I shouted.

“Wait!!”

Only then did the sword stop.

Park Shin-ae slowly raised her head and looked at me.

Soon she was surprised, as if in disbelief.

Because I had a glass shard in my hand.

And that shard was pointed at my own throat.

“What are you doing…?”

“Exactly what you see. Just try to cut the Vice Chairwoman? I’ll slit my throat with this shard.”

“Are you threatening suicide?”

“Why, don’t think I can do it?”

I defiantly pressed the shard closer to my neck.

And the moment I did.

The sharp glass edge cut shallowly into my neck.

As a result, red blood dripped down to my collarbone.

“Stop.”

The area under Park Shin-ae’s eyes darkened.

She seemed to realize the seriousness of the situation.

“Now you’re acting more like yourself. I was really surprised, thinking you’d become a god.”

The corners of my mouth twitched upward.

I boldly shouted at her.

“I’ll go with you. I’ll transfer my ability too. But don’t touch the Vice Chairwoman.”

“Siho!”

The Vice Chairwoman urgently called out at my answer.

But I didn’t waver in my resolve.

I slowly approached the Vice Chairwoman and whispered.

“Don’t worry. I absolutely won’t die. I’ll definitely come back alive.”

Park Shin-ae watched our interaction intently.

Soon she regained her relaxed smile, seemingly satisfied with my response.

“You’ve chosen well. It won’t be painful or hurt at all.”

She clapped her hands again.

Then the air around us rippled and a blue portal began to appear.

Through the portal, I could see the wasteland where I had been earlier.

Before getting up,

I handed the Vice Chairwoman a shaker filled with alcohol.

“If Park Shin-ae breaks her promise, drink this. It’s alcohol, but it will definitely help.”

After whispering to her, I stood up.

And slowly followed Park Shin-ae toward the open portal.

“Siho…”

A sorrowful expression.

A sad look that the Vice Chairwoman had never shown me before.

I forced a smile for her.

I couldn’t show a gloomy face until the very end.

“Let’s go, my little lamb.”

Park Shin-ae gestured with a benevolent smile like a goddess.

And taking me as I approached, she entered the portal.

Afterward, the spacious penthouse became quiet as if nothing had happened.

Only Vice Chairwoman Na-hyun remained, bleeding profusely.

“I need to… tell them quickly.”

She dragged her aching body toward her phone.

And breathing heavily, she called Jeoksa.