Episode 591. Gate of Hell (5)

The next morning.

Nom nom.

Liliana munched on coffee peanuts while watching TV. The chocolates Lee Hoyeon brought as gifts from France were already gone, and this was a snack she’d bought secretly from Nam Dahee. Because she’d have to share them unconditionally if Nam Dahee found out, she’d only sneak them out to eat when Nam Dahee was playing with Daeun.

“Liliana unnie! I want coffee peanuts too!”

“Damn it, I’m caught! Run!”

“What’s the big deal about coffee peanuts… Just share some with Dahee already.”

Lee Hoyeon sighed as he watched Liliana run away. Seeing the two of them running around like that makes me feel completely drained. It’s impossible to imagine that Liliana Calliope, who made the Underworld tremble, is inside.

“Rebecca-ssi. Is it okay to switch to the news?”

“You can do whatever you want, Baby Daddy~.”

He switched to the news instead of the variety show Liliana had been watching.

[An unknown island that appeared in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is expanding its area at an incredible speed. Among them, winged monstrous beings have been attacking drones that approached too closely…. ]

As expected, the world was in chaos again within a single day. This was because the Iris Guild had released all information regarding the Gate of Hell.

The Gate of Hell, which appeared in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, was gradually expanding its territory. The sea turned dark and transformed into a solid island, and the monsters of Hell took root on that island. Unlike other anomalies, those things actually attacked humans. For now, it’s at the level of shooting down approaching flying objects, but once they understand Earth, all the winged ones will fly over to the continents. And some of them will carry other monsters along. You don’t need me to explain what will happen when the ever-expanding island covers the Pacific and touches the continents.

[Can’t you blockade the area around the island?]

[It’s impossible. Deploying troops is difficult because it’s in the middle of the sea, and that dark island is growing at a terrifying rate.]

[What about the experts? What on earth are they doing at times like these…. ]

There wasn’t any particularly useful information. It was all information Lee Hoyeon already knew.

‘Is it strange to expect information when we haven’t even been properly attacked yet?’

Lee Hoyeon leaned his head on Rebecca’s shoulder while watching the arguing panelists. Seeing her fiery red hair somehow made him feel calm.

“Rebecca-ssi. Let’s do some special training in Hell’s magic together. As I said yesterday, there are just too many black pillars in this world that need destroying.”

“You mean that thing you do with Professor Im Sol…? Hmm. Well. Do you think I can be of help?”

“If it’s Lee Hoyeon’s special training, you’ll adapt quickly. Don’t worry.”

“If Baby Daddy says so, it must be fine. Okay, I’ll try.”

Even though the Gate of Hell had already appeared, the black pillars weren’t any less important. In fact, we need to break them down even more diligently. Because the black pillars are also structures that accelerate the assimilation of Earth and Hell. The problem is that there are too many black pillars for Lee Hoyeon to destroy alone. If Rebecca and Im Sol worked together and did just half as much as Lee Hoyeon, things would be twice as fast.

‘Actually, it would be best if Rebecca-ssi and Sol went separately….’

The issue is Rebecca and Im Sol’s safety. There’s a way to involve the Iris Guild, but Lee Hoyeon wanted to entrust matters related to the black pillars only to people he could truly trust. Moreover, it takes a long time for them to learn Hell’s magic. They wouldn’t be able to provide support even if a fight broke out near a black pillar.

‘Someone talented and skilled enough to learn Hell’s magic, whom I can trust, and whose mind I can consistently check for brainwashing….’

Just as he was about to fall into thought, a teacup appeared before his eyes. He turned his head to see Nam Daeun with a faint smile.

“Hoyeon-ah. Have a cup of tea.”

“Thanks, Daeun-ah.”

He brought the teacup Nam Daeun gave him to his lips. The warm black tea felt like it was relaxing his body.

“As expected of Daeun-ah… Huh?”

Lee Hoyeon looked up and met Nam Daeun’s eyes. Seeing him suddenly staring intently, Nam Daeun tilted her head.

“What’s wrong?”

“You were here.”

People who were talented, whom Lee Hoyeon could trust, and whose minds he could consistently check for brainwashing. There were many such women around Lee Hoyeon.

*

“Did I overdo my morning workout?”

Lee Hoyeon yawned and stretched. He had destroyed a black pillar located 30 minutes away from the Academy early this morning, and his body felt hot.

Thump. Thump.

Lee Hoyeon walked around the Academy grounds for the first time in a while. When he had left for France, many buildings were still in poor condition, but now the aftermath of Lucifer’s attack was hard to find.

‘Is the Academy going to resume operations soon?’

The Gate of Hell opening right after the repairs were finished… what terrible timing. Are we going to be unable to graduate at this rate?

He was walking around, taking in the sights with a restless feeling, when suddenly.

“Lee Hoyeooon!”

“Hoyeon Ssi…!”

The twins who ran up beside him hugged Lee Hoyeon. Seeing Lucy and Lumi after so long made Lee Hoyeon’s lips curl up automatically.

“Have you two been well?”

“Why did you come back so late? Ugh-.”

“Sorry. I had a lot of work. But I came to see you first, so please forgive me.”

“…But it’s not a date.”

As Lucy said, today wasn’t for a date; he was on his way to see Im Sol. Lee Hoyeon wished he could have a leisurely date too, but he had far too much work.

“We can still grab a meal after seeing Professor-nim.”

“Really? Then let’s get cake.”

“Hoyeon Ssi… You don’t have to push yourself….”

“It’s not pushing myself, so don’t worry. Let’s go see the Professor first.”

Lee Hoyeon chuckled while rubbing Lumi’s cheek with his finger. He had something to ask Im Sol about the black pillars, and he planned to have the twins receive some magic training.

‘It would be good for Lucy and Lumi to get stronger too.’

Lee Hoyeon’s heroines had all become stronger compared to the original work. Alice, who overcame her congenital mana disorder; Moon Surin, who conquered her stalking trauma; Im Sol, who surpassed her limits; and Nam Daeun, who escaped the Buyer Guild early. Lucy and Lumi had also grown stronger learning magic from Lee Hoyeon… but they still felt a bit lacking.

The inside of the magic institute was strangely quiet. Since the Academy was closed, it seemed many professors weren’t coming in. It didn’t matter. Im Sol would be on the second floor anyway.

Ding dong-

Lee Hoyeon took the twins with him in the elevator up to the second floor. As soon as he entered Im Sol’s lab, he felt a powerful surge of mana.

Kwang- Pang-!

The lab echoed with thuds. Lucy and Lumi looked around in confusion, but Lee Hoyeon smiled knowingly.

“It’s always like this here. Let’s head towards the training room.”

If Im Sol’s lab was quiet, she was experimenting; if it was noisy, she was training. After walking a short distance, the training room came into view.

“Wow….”

“H-Hoyeon Ssi. Over there. It’s Professor Im Sol.”

Lucy and Lumi pressed themselves against the glass looking inside. Inside the training room, Im Sol’s magic was erupting. Pillars of fire with intense heat soared high into the sky, and lightning struck the ground, scattering debris everywhere. A massive wave originating from afar crashed down on Im Sol, and a blinding flash fell from the sky.

‘This is Im Sol’s custom curriculum.’

Why is she fighting natural disasters all by herself? Imagine how shocked anyone else would be if they saw this. Indeed, Lucy and Lumi were trembling with their mouths agape.

‘She’s always the same every time I visit.’

Lee Hoyeon comforted Lucy and Lumi before entering the training room and waving.

“Professor Im Sol!”

A welcome voice broke her concentration. Im Sol shook her sweat-soaked hair and turned her head. Seeing Lee Hoyeon after so long, she intended to stop training.

“My disciple has finally arrived…?”

Im Sol tilted her head, noticing Lucy and Lumi clinging to her disciple.

*

Fire arrows materialized above Lucy’s closed eyes. Hundreds of arrows flowed through the air like water, guided by Lucy’s hands. Lee Hoyeon smiled at Lucy’s growth. The heat and energy contained in the arrows seemed strong enough to require careful blocking. But it seemed our Professor didn’t think so.

“Student Lucy. Focus on what you do best. Burn more fiercely, and control your power precisely. The arrows are wasting energy unnecessarily.”

“Ah, I understand.”

“Student Lumi, it’s the same for you. You learned the core magic well from Hoyeon, but it’s still insufficient. If your opponent had been Lucifer, that shield wouldn’t have been enough.”

“…Yes, yes.”

The lessons are tough, but they can overcome this much. Lucy and Lumi’s talents point towards much greater heights. Although the Gate of Hell opened faster than in the original work, if they properly absorb the teachings of Lee Hoyeon and Im Sol, they can certainly pull their own weight.

“Good. Much more stable than before. Now, I’ll activate the training system. It’s what I usually use for my own training, but it’s only level 1, so you should be able to handle it.”

Im Sol manipulated the training room’s system and initiated [Im Sol’s Special Curriculum #1]. Lucy and Lumi’s talents were indeed immense. Lower than Lee Hoyeon, but compared to the old geezers strutting around the Wizard Association, the difference is like that between a whale and a sardine. As their mentor and a comrade who fought Lucifer, I can teach them this much without hesitation.

[Executing Im Sol’s Special Curriculum #1.]

“Don’t forget that you are stronger together. I’ll keep the pain levels the same, so be careful.”

“Oof… Lumi!”

“Y-Yeah. We have to stay together.”

Lucy and Lumi immediately clung to each other and generated mana. The twins, each specialized in offense and defense, became stronger only when combined.

‘Of course, they don’t need to stick together like that… but they’ll figure it out.’

Lee Hoyeon stood up as he saw Im Sol approaching.

“You really are the Professor. You teach much better than I do.”

“Yes. But, Student Lee Hoyeon?”

“Yes? Oof?!”

Thump-

It was only for a moment that he was surprised by the awkward title “Student Lee Hoyeon.” Pushed by Im Sol, Lee Hoyeon slumped onto the sofa. As he blinked in surprise at the sudden situation, Im Sol spoke first.

“You come to see your mentor after a whole two weeks, and you bring two other women with you.”

“Professor-nim. No. Sol-ah. You definitely told me to bring Lucy and Lumi before….”

“….”

“I said I’d bring them right after my work was done then….”

“….”

“Yes. I apologize.”

Lee Hoyeon lowered his head. Looking into Im Sol’s steady gaze, an apology automatically slipped out. He felt a little wronged. He had promised to bring Lucy and Lumi after dealing with the Iris Guild matters.

‘Still… I guess I didn’t pay enough attention.’

Honestly, it wasn’t that he hadn’t intended to see Lucy, Lumi, and Im Sol simultaneously. Because he was so busy, visiting them one by one would leave no time to deal with the Gate of Hell. Im Sol usually had a cool image, so he thought she’d let it slide. But not this time.

“I’m sorry, Sol-ah. Ah, right. Should I give you the gift I bought in France?”

He had bought a special mana puzzle for Im Sol. The puzzle, with its meaningless and patternless mana formations, was a high-quality item that took even him over five minutes to solve. But since it transformed into a cube that rained pretty snow when solved, Im Sol might like it…

“Take it off.”

“…What?”

Lee Hoyeon jumped, startled, as if he had committed a crime. Im Sol, approaching him, seemed frightening today.

“I told you to take off your pants, my disciple.”

“…Lucy and Lumi are behind me.”

“They’re focused on training, so it’s fine. They won’t notice if you cast a simple barrier.”

“No, if I cast the barrier, or rather. Wait a minute.”

Without even waiting for Lee Hoyeon’s reply. Im Sol placed her hand on Lee Hoyeon’s thigh.