Chapter 27: Debut ⑥

    Chapter 27: Debut ⑥

    The darkness enveloped my body as I soared into the sky.
    As my altitude rose above the rooftop, the school’s scenery became visible in one sweeping glance.

    Ching! Ching!

    Owen and the heroes were facing each other in the playground, their swords raised.
    The blade, perhaps a jet-black or dark sword, emitted a strong, ominous aura, making the heroes hesitate and step back.

    They looked to be around level 3 or 4 heroes, maybe?

    Should I take them down quickly?

    [There’s one dangerous individual hiding by the back door.]

    Without thinking, I turned my head sharply. But all I could see was the empty schoolyard.

    ‘A dangerous individual? How dangerous?’
    [Based on the amount and quality of magic, they seem to be at least double rank.]

    Why would such a powerful being be in Zone B? Perhaps they’re a retired hero like Reminis?

    No matter what, dragging this out would only work against me. I have no idea how many more of these monsters might be approaching.

    I should prioritize escaping.

    Domain Encroachment.

    Darkness filled my entire domain. From the outside, it must have looked like a 100-meter radius sphere suddenly appearing without any warning.

    The eyes of reporters and heroes were now fixed on me.

    As they sized up the radius, they seemed to grasp the scale of my power, their faces instantly stiffening.

    “Damn, why the hell is this so late!”

    Meanwhile, Owen, covered in blood, clicked his tongue and complained. He abandoned the heroes and dashed toward me with all his might.

    A few heroes tried to follow, but I couldn’t let that happen.

    Shatter.

    A crack appeared in the 200-meter radius sphere.
    In the end, the pressure inside the sphere was too much, and it exploded.

    Whoooosh!

    The darkness swallowed the surroundings, and a narrow night descended over a 5-kilometer radius.

    Humans have an ingrained primal fear of the dark. Those who underestimated it in the past didn’t survive.

    The heroes chasing Owen froze in place.

    ‘What about him?’
    [He’s not moving. Take this chance to escape.]

    I quickly descended to the ground. Grabbing Owen’s outstretched hand, I sped away from the school.

    “Did it work?!”

    Owen, still holding onto my hand, shouted.

    “…….”

    At a loss for words, I kept my gaze straight ahead.


    “Damn, that was a hell of a struggle…”
    “You did your part. I’ll make sure to repay you.”
    “That’s obvious. If we failed, what was the backup plan?!”

    A backup plan, huh.

    “I’ll have to head to Zone D soon.”
    “D? What’s going on in that battlefield?”


    I replied briefly.

    “I need a bomb.”

    “Captain! You’ve returned!”

    As soon as we arrived at the hideout, Serena greeted me warmly. I exchanged a quick nod before asking.

    “What about Gwanghui?”
    “He’s staying put. Surprisingly obedient, actually?”

    Just as Serena said, as I entered the living room, Gwanghui was trembling in place, staring at me with a fearful but determined face.

    “I won’t surrender.”

    So much for being obedient.

    At that moment, Serena added.

    “Captain, should we start with cutting off a finger?”

    Her reaction was immediate.

    “Heek! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to be disrespectful!”
    “…….”

    A delicate flower in a greenhouse, huh?
    This might be easier than I thought.

    “I’ll do whatever you say… just please, not torture…”

    Trembling like a hamster, Gwanghui whimpered.

    I was starting to get used to this scene.

    First, I untied the rope.

    “Let’s heal Owen’s wounds.”
    “Ah, okay.”

    Gwanghui hesitated, then closed the distance between herself and Owen.
    Owen was half-dead, his body a patchwork of injuries. Glancing nervously, Gwanghui reached out her hand.

    A warm, glowing light spread out.

    The wounds quickly began to heal, visible to the eye.

    “…….”

    Owen, Serena, and I all silently watched the scene. There was something sacred about the way the life force surged back so quickly.

    Soon, the bleeding stopped, and the wounds were replaced by vivid red marks.

    “It was mostly superficial, so it healed almost instantly. If I treat it once more tomorrow, it’ll be fully healed.”
    “…….”

    Owen flexed his fist, testing his condition.

    “How is it?”

    When I asked, his brows furrowed. In a serious tone, he asked.

    “Is this… really okay?”

    I could guess what he was worried about. It was due to how advanced Gwanghui’s abilities were.

    The association wouldn’t let such a skilled individual slip away without retaliation.

    “We’ll just have to deal with it.”

    It’s fine. I’ve spent the last two years preparing for this. This place won’t be exposed anytime soon.

    And I can’t afford to lose Gwanghui—she’s essential to my plans.

    “Gwanghui, I have one request.”
    “……Yes?”

    I extended my hand.

    “Summon.”

    The corpse rose from the ground. It was my own corpse, the one I had seen earlier today.

    Gwanghui seemed perplexed.
    As time passed, that confusion turned to sheer horror.

    “Who is this…?”
    “Revive them. Then I’ll let you go.”
    “……You.”

    Suddenly, Gwanghui’s tone had changed. Not only that, but the entire atmosphere surrounding her had turned sharp and dangerous.

    Serena, overwhelmed by the sudden change, took a few steps back.

    Her expression had become impossibly cold, a stark contrast to what I’d seen before. There was a deep, seething anger in Gwanghui’s eyes.

    “Why do you have this child?”
    “You don’t need to know.”

    Then she spoke in a cold, biting tone that felt like a blade.

    “I refuse the request. You’d better kill me instead.”

    Why had this timid girl suddenly changed her attitude?

    She didn’t look like she had lost her fear, though. The situation itself seemed to be weighing heavily on her, as her fingertips were trembling slightly.

    “Tell me why.”
    “……Don’t you know what this child means to us?”

    What did “meaning” mean?
    What kind of meaning did I have to the heroes?

    “Anyway, I can’t do this. Return Rani to Reminis, right now. If not, I will never cooperate.”
    “…….”

    What was this?
    This warm, yet suffocating feeling?

    [Ugh. What will you do, my lord?]

    I was lost in thought, troubled by this unexpected turn of events.



    Back in her room, Seoran stared at the ceiling as usual. Her younger sister, Iran’s smiling photograph, was framed there.

    As she looked at the photo, something sticky and heavy surged in her chest.

    ‘I need to get her back.’

    The black-haired girl.
    The one who dared to play with her sister’s corpse—Seoran’s greatest enemy in her lifetime.

    ‘I’ll kill her.’

    A viscous hatred covered her vision.
    It was then, as her eyes began to take on a dangerous look, that a voice echoed in her mind.

    • Iran said she’s going to hell.

    The last words she’d left had pierced her chest like needles.

    • But if you remember the promise, it’ll be okay.

    A promise…

    The boiling emotions within her suddenly quieted, as if cold water had been poured over them.

    The promises this pair of sisters had made were countless.

    But in this case, it was clear…

    “What should I do…?”

    She muttered the question, letting her mind drift as sleep claimed her.

    • Un…ni!

    When she opened her eyes again, her younger sister, Iran’s golden hair was swaying right in front of her.
    Her precious younger sister, sitting between Seoran’s legs, closed the book she had been reading.

    “Unni.”
    “Yeah? What’s up?”
    “Isn’t it strange?”
    “What’s strange?”

    Iran’s legs swung back and forth, perched on the veranda.

    “Why doesn’t the Hero Association attack Telon?”
    “That place where the villains live?”
    “Yeah. Heroes are really strong, right? They could wipe everything out in one go.”
    “Well, you’re not a hero yet, so you wouldn’t know. Why do you think that?”

    Iran tilted her head, deep in thought.

    “Is it because a gap in the city’s safety would form? But if they launched a major eradication operation…? Couldn’t they completely wipe them out?”
    “……Hmm.”
    “And the ones who died…”

    With a small chuckle, Seoran gently patted Iran’s head.

    “I’ve never thought like that, you know? Our little sister is too smart.”
    “Hehe.”

    Yes. Iran was a very bright child.
    Her thoughts were deeper than her age suggested, and she had a kind and thoughtful heart.

    • Will you inherit Reminis?

    The words of her aunt from last night echoed in Seoran’s mind, and she sighed unconsciously.

    “…Hey, Rani.”

    Iran turned her head, her ruby-red eyes filled with curiosity.

    Seoran smiled bitterly and asked carefully.

    “Don’t you want to be Reminis?”
    “What… What are you talking about?”
    “Well, I think it’d suit you better than me.”

    Seoran didn’t understand why her aunt had chosen her.

    But, in Seoran’s view, the name Reminis didn’t suit her at all.

    Iran.
    This extraordinary girl was the one who truly embodied the symbol of justice.

    She was smart enough to have finished preparing for the college entrance exams in elementary school, patient, kind-hearted.

    Most importantly, Iran, unlike Seoran, was already a light user.

    Seoran explained these points to her, detailing everything carefully.
    Iran listened quietly until she had finished.

    Once Seoran’s words ended, Iran immediately spoke up.

    “Don’t you want to be Reminis? Is it too much pressure for you?”
    “……It’s not that, but I think it’d be better if you became Rani for the sake of this world.”

    Iran’s eyes widened in shock.

    “Why do you think my aunt wanted to pass the powers to you and not me?”

    This had been the question Seoran had wrestled with until just before falling asleep. After thinking, she arrived at one answer.

    “…It’s probably because you’re older than me.”

    No matter how she thought about it, that was the only reason.

    “Wrong.”

    But Iran immediately refuted that thought.

    She waggled her finger at Seoran as if she were a teacher.

    The words she spoke next were entirely unexpected.

    “You know, I’m not as kind as you think.”

    Seoran, startled, immediately denied it.

    “What do you mean! If you’re not kind, then Rani…”
    “As long as I have you, I don’t care about anything else.”

    Seoran was left speechless in that moment.
    Iran calmly expressed her feelings.

    “If I had to choose between everyone in the world and you, I’d choose you without hesitation.”
    “…….”
    “I’m a selfish person.”

    The weight of love made Seoran catch her breath.

    “Me too…!”

    Just as Seoran tried to assert that her own love was just as strong, Iran cut her off before she could even speak.

    “No.”

    Before Seoran could even say a word, Iran had firmly denied it.

    “You’re different.”

    Why was she so sure of herself?
    At times like this, Iran had moments that felt almost prophetic.

    “Unni… No matter what hardships or challenges come your way, you’ll always stick to the greater cause.”
    “…….”

    Could I really do that? Honestly, I wasn’t sure.

    Compared to Iran, I was just an extremely ordinary girl.

    Maybe Iran had sensed this doubt because she let out a small sigh.

    Then, suddenly, her eyes sparkled.

    “Let’s make a promise.”
    “A promise?”

    Iran nodded quickly, her lemon-colored hair swaying.

    “Yeah. A promise.”
    “……What promise?”
    “I’m so selfish, I might not even be able to go to heaven.”

    Seoran was about to deny it, but Iran shook her head, signaling for her to listen to the end.

    “You’re the best hero, right? You’ll definitely become someone important in heaven.”
    “That’s…”

    Iran cut her off, not allowing a rebuttal.

    “So, in heaven, lead me.”

    Seoran’s body flinched, a small tremor she couldn’t hide.
    Seeing that, Iran happily added more.

    “Even if I do really bad things, you’ll forgive me, right?”

    Iran gave a mischievous smile, like a little demon.

    “So, you don’t need to feel guilty about inheriting Reminis in my place.”

    “The more you become an outstanding hero, the safer my insurance is.”
    “…….”
    “What do you think?”

    …Fine.

    Seoran murmured quietly, and in an instant, Iran swiftly hooked her pinky finger.

    “Promise?”

    Suddenly, Seoran’s lips trembled.

    “Rani…”

    Iran’s eyes widened.
    Seoran firmly held her sister’s small shoulders.

    “I’m sorry.”
    “…….”
    “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

    She held her beloved sister close.

    “I miss you…”
    “……Unni.”

    Iran returned the hug with equal warmth.
    Her gentle hand patted Seoran’s back.

    “Did you make the promise?”
    “……Yes.”
    “Even if I get punished in hell.”

    If my sister becomes a hero, I can endure it.



    Kim Dohyeon took a deep breath at the door.

    Two years had passed since that incident.

    By now, he should have gotten used to it, but he was still afraid to see Seoran’s broken state.

    He’d probably feel this way for the rest of his life.

    After several deep breaths, Kim Dohyeon grabbed the doorknob.

    “I’m here. I’m coming in.”

    However, as soon as he entered the hallway, his head tilted in confusion.

    A delicious smell wafted through the air.

    “…….”

    His heart began to beat loudly.

    Cautiously, he headed toward the living room. As soon as he opened the door, the source of the smell became even clearer.

    Tonkatsu.

    The type of food didn’t matter.
    Dropping the shopping bag, Dohyeon hurried into the kitchen.

    “……Huh?”

    Seoran, who had turned around, looked at him with surprise in her eyes.

    Dohyeon’s lips trembled slightly.

    Seoran, wearing an apron.
    One hand held a spatula.

    The frying pan sizzled with the sound of frying food.

    Seoran scratched her head awkwardly, offering a hesitant smile.

    “Welcome.”

    She smiled, greeting him warmly.
    It was just like the precious, normal days before that incident.

    “…….”

    Dohyeon staggered, barely managing to lean against the wall.
    Furrowing his brows, he finally raised one hand to cover his eyes.

    “…….”
    “…….”

    A quiet stillness filled the kitchen.

    As he saw the transparent liquid flowing past his hand, Seoran lowered her head.

    “I’m sorry for showing you such a pathetic side until now.”
    “No, no… It’s… it’s fine…”
    “Thank you.”
    “It’s… the least I could do…”

    When Seoran raised her head, a resolute glint shone in her eyes.

    “Dohyeon, I will never break again.”
    “…….”

    Tears fell from Seoran’s cheek, but her expression was stronger than ever before.

    “For Rani, I will never…”
    “Yes. Yes…!”
    “So first…”

    I have to send Rani away from this world.

    ‘I’ll get my sister back.’

    There were so many things I was curious about the black-haired girl.


    Ep 5. Debut (End)

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