Face-to-Face – 2

“I thought I’d experienced all sorts of bizarre things, but there’s no end to experience, after all.”

A woman said, looking around.

Her eyes, which were always full of discomfort, were filled with curiosity for the first time in a long while.

Ignoring the gazes of her companions, she strode through the small alley created by the buildings, running her fingertips along the walls.

The rough texture of the walls flowed through her hand.

“There are so many square houses… It hurts my neck to look up at them.”

“Well, it’s a different world, after all.”

One of her companions, who had been following her, spoke up in response to her observation after a while of looking around.

“You can say that again. It’s only now that it’s sinking in.”

“It was half a gamble… I didn’t think it would actually work.”

The dark-skinned woman shook her head.

“What are you talking about?”

“That plan for Kkumul-ssi to swallow you and move through dimensions.”

Honestly, I thought Kkumul-ssi would absorb you…

“Ha!”

The woman trailed off, and the other woman chuckled.

The woman with the ponytail spun around and brought her face close.

“Weren’t you the one trying to swallow me?”

The black-haired woman took a slight step back as her face was reflected in those ominously gleaming red eyes.

“……..”

The short-haired woman couldn’t think of anything to say in response, so she closed her mouth.

Regardless, the ponytail woman wore a bitter smile.

“That murky thing did show a slight intention to digest me… but for some reason, it didn’t try.”

“Shall I tell you why?”

“Do you know the reason? I’m curious too.”

“Because you tore Kkumul-ssi’s mouth open with your bare hands and went inside.”

The woman stared at her with a dumbfounded expression, and the red-eyed woman cleared her throat.

“So….”

The red-eyed woman spoke as she headed towards the end of the alley.

The woman following her tried to stop her, but the woman’s feet were faster.

As she emerged from the alley, the intense sunlight shone on her.

Her bare face was revealed.

“……..”

Passersby cautiously cast glances at her exotic face.

“We don’t even know what this place is like yet… You shouldn’t attract too much attention.”

The woman who followed her explained, like a mother scolding her wayward daughter.

“Hmph, the gazes of insects.”

The red-eyed woman moved on without paying any attention.

Sigh, the woman following behind her let out a long sigh at the sight.

The two walked down the street.

Uncomfortable gazes were cast around them, but the woman in the lead didn’t care, whether it was out of her unique arrogance or confidence.

The black-haired woman following behind her guided her like a navigation system.

–

Guide me.

–

Where to?

–

Where else but to where my disciple is.

They moved towards the place where they could sense the traces of the man they were looking for.

The location wasn’t too far away.

“I said it before, but he might not be here. No, it’s more likely that he won’t be.”

“Chatter, chatter… You’re noisy.”

“I’m just saying, don’t get your hopes up. There’s a chance that only Inho’s traces will remain here too.”

“Your will is quite weak. If we can’t find him here, we can just go to another dimension.”

“Yes, you would.”

Lee Mina brushed off the words, replying casually as if ignoring the nagging of a former superior.

“So, where do we go now?”

“We’re here. It’s right in front of us. …But, what is that?”

The place they arrived at was a plaza with a lot of pedestrian traffic.

“Hmm… It’s different from what I know, but… it doesn’t seem like a place where good things happen.”

Namgung Soyou muttered, her eyes fixed on the execution platform built of wood in one corner of the plaza.

As if to prohibit access, Holy Knights in iron armor blocked the stairs to the execution platform.

“It’s there. I can feel Inho’s traces there.”

“If we want to know where Inho is, we have to investigate those traces, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then, I’ll have to go up.”

Namgung Soyou headed towards the execution platform without hesitation.

The soldiers tilted their heads at the sight of the woman approaching them, then thrust their spears forward, blocking her approach.

“Stop. No one is allowed to ascend the execution platform.”

Even with two spears aimed at her neck, Namgung Soyou’s eyes shone brightly.

“Guards who fulfill their duty deserve praise, but…”

Namgung Soyou bent her middle finger and hooked it on her thumb.

Just as the guards were wondering about her gesture, as if she were about to flick a bean.

“You wouldn’t be foolish enough to think you could save your lives by pointing weapons at me, would you?”

-Flick

Along with the sound that echoed through the air, an enormous shockwave struck the guards.

The armor crumpled, and the guards were sent flying, crashing into the wall of a building.

“Witch! A Witch has appeared!”

The people in the plaza scattered in panic at the event that unfolded with a huge explosion.

Namgung Soyou frowned at the loud noise, but didn’t stop climbing the execution platform.

Her red eyes turned to Lee Mina.

It was a signal to come quickly and analyze.

Lee Mina pressed down on her throbbing head at her flamboyant actions and ascended the execution platform.

“Kkumul-ssi, I’m counting on you.”

The black shape that stretched out from her shadow covered a part of the execution platform and twitched.

“It’s disgusting the more I look at it.”

Namgung Soyou hurled harsh words at Kkumul-ssi.

After a while, Lee Mina, who had been closing her eyes, opened her mouth.

“…Inho-ssi was executed here.”

“Executed? Why?”

“It seems he was falsely accused of being a demon impersonating a Saint.”

“I see. It wouldn’t have been a comfortable death.”

Heavenly Demon quietly muttered.

“Hmm… But something’s strange.”

“What is it?”

Lee Mina felt like she was looking at the sea before a storm from Namgung Soyou.

Just as Lee Mina was about to answer, the plaza became noisy again.

“Reveal your identity!”

Knights and soldiers on horseback rushed to the execution platform, surrounding them.

“I asked what was strange.”

Namgung Soyou didn’t turn her head and continued to look at Lee Mina.

“…I can feel Inho-ssi’s traces in other places too. It’s like…”

“Like Inho-ssi’s body was cut into small pieces and scattered in various places…”

-Whoosh

Before Lee Mina could finish speaking, a huge flame erupted on the execution platform.

Namgung Soyou, who had ignited karma in her entire body, asked again with coldly sunken eyes.

“So, what you’re saying is… these bastards killed my disciple and cut up his body into small pieces and gave it to wild beasts as food… is that what you mean?”

I didn’t say it that specifically.

Lee Mina swallowed the words inwardly.

“Throw down your weapons and surrender peacefully… Aaaagh!!!!”

The face of the knight who was at the forefront, urging them to surrender, melted away.

It was because Namgung Soyou, who had already descended from the execution platform, grabbed his face with her palm and tore it off.

“I’ll ask you. Do you know Kang In-ho?”

Namgung Soyou asked the second-in-command, whose face had turned pale.

“Kang, Kang In-ho?”

“You don’t know?”

As the hand emitting dark black flames slowly approached, the second-in-command said urgently.

“Are you talking about the Saint? Or the Saint impersonator… Aaaaaaaah!!!!”

Namgung Soyou’s hand tore off the second-in-command’s arms.

The second-in-command, who had been riding a horse, vomited blood and convulsed on the horse before dying.

The soldiers, frightened by the horrific sight, slowly backed away, and Namgung Soyou’s head turned, her eyes like those of a beast hunting for prey.

“Whatever the case, you must die.”