Episode 166. Social Party (3)

‘Nearly fucked up.’

Only after dismantling almost all the barriers did I find Baek Ahyoung.

I mostly reverse-engineered the barriers within the party venue. I met so many people, and thanks to the information from one of the hunters I met in the meantime, who said they saw Baek Ahyoung in a corner, I was able to find her.

The others are probably in the center of the party venue, fighting the remaining monsters and reverse-engineering the remaining barriers.

I ran alone to the corner where Baek Ahyoung was, and it would take quite some time for backup to arrive.

Looking at the monsters, I drew up my magic power.

The number of monsters was large, but their individual abilities were pathetic.

Although I used a lot of mana reverse-engineering the rune barriers, fortunately, the results of increasing my mana capacity up to now paid off here.

Because I could still handle it sufficiently.

Fwoosh-!

After burning the monsters away and putting distance between them and Baek Ahyoung, I assessed her condition.

Tears like giant raindrops were welling up in her eyes, and her face was flushed bright red.

“Stay still. It’ll be over soon.”

The wound was large. Her clothes were torn on her back, revealing bone.

But with Baek Ahyoung’s skills, that much should be fine. She’ll be able to heal it quickly.

– Kkeureuk… Kkik….

Crackle-

With my flames, I instantly subdued the monsters.

After looking at the burning piles of corpses, I attended to Baek Ahyoung.

“Ahyoung-ssi. Are you okay? Just wait here while you heal.”

Now, the dangerous elements were almost eliminated.

Taking care of Baek Ahyoung, I just needed to go to where the people were.

But what is it? This feeling of having forgotten something?

“Mmm. Hoyeon-ah, thanks….”

Swish-!

Thump.

Something flew towards me from my blind spot.

Clang-!

Fortunately, I reacted quickly and blocked it with Cotton Guard, but the target of that attack wasn’t me.

It was Baek Ahyoung.

Thud. Thud.

A strange assailant wearing a skull mask, holding a chilling sword, jumped out from the dark corner.

“…What the hell is going on.”

Why does this always happen to me every day?

Just from the aura I felt, it was on a different level from the pathetic monsters earlier.

My body trembled with tension. At the same time, my heart pounded rapidly.

My combat sense had been activated.

‘Can I… win this?’

My combat sense, heated up for the first time in a while, sent me an alarm that it was dangerous.

The stinging magic power and killing intent approaching my skin were the strongest among all the enemies I had ever met.

Moreover, I had to fight while protecting Baek Ahyoung.

Because the target of that skull mask earlier was clearly Baek Ahyoung.

Even if I don’t know the reason, he’s targeting Baek Ahyoung.

“H-Hoyeon-ah. Run. You have to run.”

“Calm down. It’s okay.”

Baek Ahyoung’s condition isn’t normal.

She’s probably overly tense because she met such a strong enemy. And she’s probably scared I might die.

Now, I need to give her confidence.

While facing the skull mask, I subtly glanced back.

“I’ll save you somehow. Just watch. Baek Ahyoung.”

“Y-you….”

Baek Ahyoung opened her mouth in surprise and blinked, so I hid her behind my back and observed the skull mask.

Since he’s holding a sword, it looks like he fights up close.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

My heart pounded rapidly like a non-stop 8-ton truck.

My senses sharpened, and a sense of exhilaration rose, as if time around me was slowing down.

The remaining magic power inside me was about 1/3.

There was no chance of winning if this dragged on.

‘It feels like someone set the stage for me.’

Coincidentally, the skill I recently obtained was also a temporary reinforcement skill.

If the stage is set this much for the protagonist, I have to pull it off. Because that’s what a protagonist does.

Burning my last remaining magic power, I heated my body up.

As I drew up my magic power, the skull mask also drew his sword and took a stance.

Normally, monsters make noises like ‘kkeureuk-kkeureuk’ and can’t control their own power, but seeing him so quiet, he’s definitely a strong one.

‘Awakening Eyes’

My golden-glowing pupils analyzed every single movement of the skull mask.

By grasping everything from the joint movement paths to the magic power flow, I could predict where the attack would come from.

Furthermore, if he imbued magic into his attack, I could also grasp its trajectory.

Kagagag—!

Instantly, the skull mask’s body blurred. I simultaneously defended my entire body with Cotton Guard.

The skull, having closed the distance in an instant, aimed for my limbs, but the sword strikes only hit my barrier.

The skull mask, not even minding that its attack was blocked, continued with the next slash.

‘Acceleration’

Tadak-

Kang!

I felt a chilling killing intent that made my whole body tingle.

Five wind-like blades.

They precisely targeted my vital points.

“Hhng…!”

Even after using Awakening Eyes and Acceleration, I couldn’t dodge them all.

From the sword strike that grazed my forearm, I bled for the first time in a while.

A chilling sensation spread through my arm. But I didn’t just stand there taking hits.

Exploiting an opening in the skull mask’s offense, I conjured a spell.

Kaddeudeuk-

Ice began creeping up from the skull mask’s feet.

It wasn’t easy to create a spell while blocking and dodging attacks, but I managed somehow.

The skull mask also immediately generated magic power, preventing the ice from freezing above his ankles.

I wasn’t thinking of finishing him with this either.

The important thing was that I had bought some time.

I realized from the recent clash.

It was merely a skirmish for the skull mask, but I had to go all out.

The difference in power was that significant.

‘If I continue like this, I’ll definitely lose.’

Ache.

I began expanding the mana circulating in my body.

My mana circuits widened, and my mana output increased.

‘Blood Beat.’

It’s a skill that expands mana circuits by inflating mana.

The basic stats are a 30% boost for 1 minute.

It’s insufficient right now.

‘I’m not used to it yet, but I can’t help it.’

I increased the output further.

My mana circuits were forcibly widened, and I felt pain all over my body.

It hurts like hell, but I can endure it.

[Sharp Mentality] seems to also enhance the ability to endure pain.

Even though I felt like I was going to die, I could still move.

‘Just 10 seconds.’

This current reinforcement lasts about 10 seconds.

For those 10 seconds, I can be slightly superior to the skull mask.

I noticed something else from the brief clash.

The suit the skull mask wore had resistance to fire and ice attacks.

The fact that my magic was less effective than usual was proof of this.

Preparing clothes resistant to fire and ice means he has information about my magic.

And that fact could actually work in my favor.

Because I have many hidden tricks up my sleeve.

Thump.

Enduring the pain, I unleashed cold magic.

Because it was magic poured out without reservation, the skull mask, touched by the cold, momentarily stopped moving.

Since I couldn’t freeze the body of the skull mask, who was stronger than me, I froze the suit itself.

Seeing him twitching, he’d probably break free soon, especially since he has ice resistance.

Anyway, I only had 8 seconds left.

I poured all my remaining magic power into my right hand.

If this one hit didn’t work, it was over anyway, so there was no need to hold back.

Woong woong-

The spiraling wind magic clumped into a sphere shape above my hand.

Because I poured out every last drop of magic, fatigue washed over my entire body, and my vision started spinning.

It was a precursor to magic exhaustion.

But gritting my teeth and enduring it, I walked towards the skull mask.

3 seconds left.

My arms and legs trembled uncontrollably, but if I missed this chance, I could never win.

Kkwadeudeuk—-!

My ‘Spiral’, infused with all my magic power, pierced the skull mask’s heart.

At the same time, the ice magic on the skull mask’s suit melted, and he swung his sword down at me.

But that sword didn’t reach me.

The sword stopped near my shoulder, and at the same moment, the skull mask froze upright.

– Kkeureup….

A faint groan was heard from the skull mask, who had been silent until now, and then his body slowly collapsed.

Thump!

The skull mask died with a hole in his chest.

And at the same time, I collapsed to my knees.

“Hoyeon-ah!”

My head was spinning.

The 10-second duration of ‘Blood Beat’ was already over, and all that remained was a pain that couldn’t be described merely as ‘painful’.

I won’t be able to fight for a while after this.

Judging by the feeling, the aftereffects will last a long time.

Thud-

My body, out of my control, collapsed straight onto the floor.

Baek Ahyoung approached me, buried her face in my chest, and started sobbing.

“Why did you do that? Why….”

A warm light enveloped my body, reducing the pain in my body.

Yet, the exhaustion from magic depletion and the aftereffects of Blood Beat combined didn’t easily heal.

My tattered mana circuits were difficult to cover even with Baek Ahyoung’s healing abilities.

“It’s okay… I’ll recover soon from this.”

“Hieuk…. Hub….”

Watching Baek Ahyoung heal me while shedding tears, I felt more confusion than gratitude.

‘The quest isn’t complete.’

The fact that the quest completion notification didn’t pop up even after saving Baek Ahyoung meant there was still a threat remaining.

Ssak-!

– Kkeureureuk….

From among the corpses of the monsters I burned before dealing with the skull mask, a monster that got up grabbed a dagger and threw it.

It collapsed the moment it threw the dagger. It seemed like it had gathered all its strength until now and attacked with its last remaining power.

“Ah, shit….”

It seems I didn’t finish one off properly, and I had absolutely no magic left to block it with Cotton Guard.

Of course, Baek Ahyoung wouldn’t die from just one light dagger hit… but instinctively, I pulled Baek Ahyoung towards me.

“Huh?”

And using her weight, I swapped positions with her.

Fshh-

The dagger that stabbed my back fortunately didn’t dig in deep.

“Ah….”

But damn, it hurt like hell.

It seemed to have poison or some drug on it.

It made my body tingle just like when I deliberately got hit by an Ogre before.

[Quest Complete!]

Fucking bastard.

The quest completion window that appeared the moment I was hit by the dagger felt like it was mocking me.

“Why, why did you take the dagger for me?”

Baek Ahyoung’s voice trembled.

Seeing the dagger stuck in my back, she intensified her healing light, but I had a hunch.

‘Ah, I’m gonna pass out.’

I know my own condition best.

I can’t hold on any longer.

“It wouldn’t have been dangerous even if I got hit. But why did you…!”

★ Heroine Status Window

[Baek Ahyoung]

• [ Affection: 100 ] (+ 0.8)

• [ Lust: 95 ]

• [ Appetite: 45 ]

• [ Fatigue: 75 ]

Current State: Why… Why do you make me unable to resist you? Why….

“… Ahyoung-ssi.”

I opened my mouth with the last ounce of my strength.

Every time I moved my tongue and lips, I felt a tearing pain.

“You still don’t know why I’m like this?”

“Why, why are you like this….”

Baek Ahyoung was healing me while nearly sobbing.

The timing is now.

It was the perfect timing to confess.

However, I couldn’t say the words that followed.

Because my vision went black.

‘I hope I don’t wake up in hell.’

I really hope I wake up in a hospital room.

And I hope Baek Ahyoung’s affection level doesn’t drop either.

I put in the effort to plant a flag with my last strength, so surely it won’t fall off?

– Hoyeon-ah… Hoyeon-ah!

Feeling Baek Ahyoung clinging to me, crying her eyes out, I promptly fainted.