The Hateful 6 -2

She retraced his final moments, when he had vanished like a constellation in the night sky.

The image of the man scattering into the void as brilliant starlight made it hard to breathe.

Kim Sung-ah struggled to breathe until her clenched fist turned white.

She had heard about the secrets of the world from him, and through the black-haired woman, she had seen the possibility of traversing worlds.

Science and magic.

She would find a way to get to him, using any means possible.

What should she say first when she met him?

She lay on her stomach on the bed, writing down what she wanted to say in a small notebook.

[Haha, Uncle. Your face looks weird.]

To hide the awkwardness.

[Ta-da, Magical Girl appears.]

Holding back the overwhelming emotions.

[Nice to meet you.]

Filled with joy.

[It’s been a while.]

Unburdening the long-held feelings.

[I missed you.]

Looking at the room across the hall before falling asleep.

[I love you.]

Pouring out the pure, heartfelt feelings she had suppressed.

The handwriting was messy, the ink from the ballpoint pen running across the paper, and occasional tears created ink blots.

After several years, she finally got to meet him.

She never thought she would never see him again, but the reunion was more breathtaking than she had imagined.

“……..”

The woman in military uniform, the one she had imitated every night, stepped forward.

The woman stood face to face with the creature that was neither man nor woman, keeping a distance.

The creature, which appeared to be an enemy, opened its mouth and began to speak, but Kim Sung-ah could barely hear it.

Her gaze was solely fixed on Kang In-ho, on his unfamiliar face.

After confirming that the conversation had shifted to the other side, Kim Sung-ah finally looked straight at his face, which she had been glancing at.

Although his appearance was not the face of him etched in her mind, she knew.

As if by magic.

He looked younger than she remembered, but still older than her.

The fierce look on his face seemed to reflect his usual personality.

“Um….”

While writing down what she wanted to say to him in bed, Kim Sung-ah had worried.

How many more Dimensional Shifts would he have gone through by the time she caught up with him?

Would he have forgotten her, having passed through countless dimensions like grains of sand in the sea?

Would he remember her as just some kid, a blurred silhouette in his fading memory?

Her heart pounded, and her mouth felt parched.

“Uncle.”

When even the woman in hanbok next to him stepped forward, Kim Sung-ah cautiously called him in her own way.

His gaze, reacting to her words, moved upward.

Their eyes met.

He blinked.

His eyes widened.

And

“…Seong-a?”

Thankfully, her name came out.

“Hehe….”

She just laughed at that fact.

She couldn’t even remember the words she had carefully prepared.

She could only laugh.

And cry.

“Why, why are you crying?”

“Am I supposed to laugh here?”

“I am smiling, too?”

“Ah, you’re so unromantic.”

The Magical Girl wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and came down to the ground.

She looked up at him. She missed the height difference.

“You haven’t changed much?”

“You’ve changed a lot, Uncle.”

He casually said, looking at her up and down, and she retorted.

“I guess so.”

“…Is this your original form?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re still the same old Uncle, then.”

“The age difference should be similar, right?”

“Still, I’m glad that you look less different now.”

“Stop talking nonsense. I’m glad you seem to be doing well… How did you get here? It seems to be related to Lee Mina.”

Kang In-ho looked worriedly at the woman lying on the ground, groaning.

Kim Sung-ah turned around and looked at Lee Mina.

She recalled her brief encounter with Lee Mina, like a fleeting breeze.

“I’ve met that unni before.”

“You’ve met her?”

“Ah… I guess you don’t know. That unni… kept following you through the dimensions.”

“What?”

Kang In-ho’s eyes widened even more.

“That black thing on her back… it seems to be what opens the dimensions and allows her to move.”

She pointed to the black object wriggling ominously.

Only then could Kang In-ho deduce the cause of the inexplicable anxiety and eeriness he had felt from her.

“Honestly, I still don’t know what’s going on.”

He pinched his cheek.

“Me too. I didn’t exactly plan anything and just came over here.”

Kim Sung-ah chuckled.

“Still as unplanned as ever.”

“I just drew a bigger picture, okay?”

Kim Sung-ah stuck out her tongue at the emotionless rebuke.

“Ah, speaking of pictures, you… didn’t go to art school, did you?”

When he asked, Kim Sung-ah smiled.

‘I’m so glad I liked Uncle.’

The fact that he remembered even such trivial things gave her confidence.

“I’m a goddess of engineering, you know?”

“Goddess my ass….”

Just as he was about to tease her, who was making a V sign with her hand and a bright face, a familiar voice was heard.

“I do not know what is ‘mine,’ but I agree with punishing anyone who tries to lay a hand on my husband.”

Chunhyang, following Namgung Soyou, stepped forward and turned to look at them.

As if to remember the faces of everyone gathered here, she slowly seemed to engrave each person’s face in her eyes.

“I understand the desire to rush ahead, but there is a procedure for such matters.”

Chunhyang spread her hands, lifting the hem of her skirt.

“Protecting my husband is the wife’s job. Unrelated guests, please take a rest for a while.”

Then she bent her knees, imitating a Western greeting, and

“…What is she saying? Annoying.”

She earned the resentment of everyone.

The explosion occurred immediately after that.

With a huge explosion, dirt flew from where Alpha had been.

Chunhyang looked at the sky with a rare dumbfounded expression, and the others followed her gaze.

“Mutual restraint of A, B, C, D, which appear to be friendly entities, confirmed. Judged to be unable to engage in combat immediately. Initiating preemptive strike against non-friendly entities.”

Still floating in the sky, one person.

The gray and silver woman had a blank expression on her face.

“As predicted, low-level beings. You were right, NB.”

Isis, equipped with wings similar to those of a mobile suit from a manga, was still looking at where Alpha had been.

“Encountered intelligent life forms exhibiting hostile tendencies. Situation requires elimination as there is no room for negotiation. Analysis of friendly entities A, B, C, D commencing.”

Isis continued the conversation in her unique, monotonous tone.

“Friendly entity A. Claims ownership of Master. Judged to support slavery. Unsuitable as Master’s woman.”

Isis’s eyes turned to Namgung Soyou. Namgung Soyou laughed as if she was dumbfounded.

“Friendly entity B. High score due to remarkable self-healing. However, appears to be deeply immersed in religion, unsuitable as Master’s woman.”

Maria remained silent despite Isis’s criticism.

“Friendly entity C. Judged to be a minor in terms of physical development. Unsuitable as Master’s woman.”

Kim Sung-ah’s face crumpled when she belatedly realized she was being talked about.

“Friendly entity D. Impersonating Master’s wife. Judged to be mentally ill. Must not become Master’s woman.”

Chunhyang gave a cold smile.

“Analysis complete. Prioritizing elimination of non-friendly entities. Commencing combat.”

As soon as Isis finished speaking, a huge mass of light burst through the dust and flew towards them.

“Dieeeee!!!”

With Alpha’s voice, filled with anger for some reason, the fight began.