episode_0224

“How… How… A lowly creature… How… !”

The witch, rolling around on the dusty floor, cried out in disbelief.

Seeing how something I had been arrogant about turned out like that, I felt a great sense of relief even in the midst of all this.

“How to get the power of Polaris…!”

Now, I’m sick of hearing that. I’m the one who’s more curious about the cause and effect than anyone else.

But this time, it seems like they’re not really finding the cause. Judging by the reaction, it looks like they don’t know anything about it either.

“You bastard…! What did you do to Polaris…! How dare you… bang…!”

I lifted the witch by the neck, who had fallen into a pitiful state. In this place where neither magic nor power can reach, she was nothing more than a weak girl.

Her stomach, exposed because her shirt was slightly rolled up, dangled before her eyes like a punching bag ready to be hit.

And I clenched my fist.

It was time to do what had to be done.

“What are you doing… Hehe… !!”

The witch groaned in pain as she was struck by an unexpected blow.

“Even if it’s someone else’s body, do you feel it as your own?”

“Oh my, how dare you, a lowly creature… Haauk… !!”

I silenced the witch’s mouth with a few consecutive blows. It was very funny to see her body writhing violently in pain.

Unlike the time of Yeonminhana Jinyeseo, I felt at ease because I didn’t have to control my strength at all.

“How dare you, a lowly male… ugh… !”

“Is that all you can say? I don’t know who is calling whom inferior.”

I repeated the same spot dozens of times, using the particles as detonators each time my fist touched, adding to the pain.

At first, I thought that if I released the power, it would disappear from my body right away, but now that I look at it, it feels a little different from the students from before.

Is there some separate means by which witches can connect with each other?

It doesn’t really matter.

Just beat him until he falls over from the pain.

Of course, this is only if my body can hold out…

-Phukk! Phukk!

“Heh, huh… ”

-Thud! Thud! Thud!

-Ugh… Heh… This… This guy… Haauk… ”

I can hear the sound of flesh being torn and bones breaking. I wonder if this is okay for Yena, but after all, a witch’s body will regenerate. Right now, my priority is to inflict pain on the thing inside me.

The impact was quite severe, but the witch in front of me surprisingly didn’t seem to have much of a tolerance for pain.

Thinking about the flabby body I’ve seen, that actually seems right.

-Thud…thud…

Soon, I started hearing a sound like a string snapping somewhere. I was just about to throw my punches without paying attention.

-Kwaaang!!

A powerful shockwave emanated from Yena’s body, turning the surroundings upside down. I was also blown backwards and rolled for several meters.

“Ugh… gasp… ”

I barely raised my head and looked ahead. Something hazy like the haze of spring sunlight was gradually being torn off from Yena’s body.

Then the red fog gathered and soon took the shape of a female body.

“… This is impossible. How could a lowly creature… have our powers in its body… ”

Someone’s voice rang in my head, not my ears. I couldn’t tell, but I could definitely tell that it had a strong hatred for me.

“Ugh… gasp… shit… ”

The problem was the physical limitations that had come to me. My vision was dark and my head was dizzy. Every single cell in my body was screaming in pain.

Moreover, the shockwave just now had left him with significant internal injuries. He really had no strength left.

I vomited out the foul-smelling substance that had filled my mouth. Dark red, frothy blood splattered all over the floor and my lower body.

Was my judgment wrong? Should I have just ended it somehow, even if it meant killing Yena?

“… Aha. Then that’s it.”

And the red fog, seeing me coughing up blood, seemed to notice something and spoke.

“… You. Your body is falling apart?”

“Ugh… Shut up… Shut up… ”

As I spat out the curses, the fog mocked me as if it was enjoying it even more.

“Haha, is this the price I pay for wanting power that is beyond my ability? Of course it is.”

The red fog did not last long. Soon, its form began to disintegrate little by little, like ash blown by the wind.

“… Keep waiting. I will send you a reward for today’s humiliation soon. ”

Again the voice rang in my head.

“The power of Polaris… I will definitely… get it back… ”

The fog that had been disappearing from below soon disappeared without a trace. Then, Yena’s body lost its balance and collapsed.

I hurriedly approached her and took her in. Judging from the steam forming on my finger that I held up to her nose, it seemed that she had only lost consciousness.

I thought it was really the end, but seeing as she just poured out curses and disappeared, I wondered if the witch possessing her body had reached her limit.

“… ”

It feels very strange to see Yena lying there with her eyes closed.

Maybe it was a good thing she passed out, because I couldn’t figure out how to deal with Yena from now on.

What will our relationship be like when she wakes up?

Enemy? Or else…

‘Run away… Hyuna…’

Suddenly, I was able to snap out of my sentimentality by hearing sobs. I couldn’t come up with an answer easily anyway. I guess I’ll just take my time and think about it. For now, I’ve put out the urgent fire.

The world was completely black and white. The sound of explosions and screams from students could still be heard in my ears.

I staggered up the stairs, holding Yena in my arms. But soon I sensed something ominous and quickly bent down.

-Kwaaang!!

Soon a huge shock wave, several times larger than the one before, struck us. The walls cracked and debris around us shot up into the sky.

Then the air began to feel hot, as if I was standing on lava.

It was a bad omen in many ways. Now it was clear that there was really no time to spare. The witch had left one last struggle for the road ahead.

“Coolook… ”

Without even a moment to reflect, I dragged my bloody and exhausted body down the stairs.

***

Even after sending the students out, the professors were busy trying to resolve the situation somehow.

Professor Kwon Chan-yeol, who was running around busily, asked the old professor who was operating the device connected to the core.

“What about you!”

“It’s no use! Even if I cut the circuit, it’s already at the critical point… ugh!”

“Ouch…!!”

“Be careful!!”

A huge shock wave was released from the core and swept through. Professor Kwon barely managed to block it by deploying a barrier and stared blankly in front of him.

“This… ”

The translucent core was rapidly flashing with an ominous yellow light. A loud noise, like boiling lava, was emanating from its bottom.

It was a sign that a runaway was just around the corner.

The professors who confirmed it muttered in bewilderment.

“Damn… If only I had found it a little sooner… ”

“Particle collector? Just in case… ”

“That’s too much… ”

“Is this really the end… ”

There was nothing they could do now. A voice was heard from behind Professor Kwon Chan-yeol, who was blankly staring at the glowing core.

“That’s why I told you. Professor Noh Jong-ha, you’re really suspicious.”

Professor Shin Jae-yu, who had returned before we knew it, spoke to me in a nonchalant way that did not fit the situation. Professor Kwon shook his head with a bitter smile.

“Who knew… ”

“You should have listened to me earlier. You caught that guy, right?”

“I should have caught it. But… ”

Professor Kwon Chan-yeol turned his gaze towards the core again.

“What’s the use anyway? We’re all going to die anyway.”

“Oh my, I barely survived… ”

Professor Kwon Chan-yeol, who was looking at the grumbling female professor, gathered his momentum as if he was steeling his resolve.

“… Okay. Since it has come to this, I have no choice but to buy as much time as possible.”

“Is there any way?”

“I guess so. Just pour the particles until they’re exhausted. If we can delay the explosion by even 0.1 seconds. That way, the students can get a little further away from here… ”

“Oh my, what did I do again… ”

The female professor burst into laughter as if she found his words ridiculous. The professors around him added their words as if they agreed with his words.

“I will stay till the end. If I can buy even a little bit of time… ”

“Me too… !”

“This body too… ”

“Me too… ”

“… Me too.”

The last one to nod was Professor Shin Jae-yu, who was smiling calmly. Professor Kwon Chan-yeol burst into laughter upon seeing her.

“How stupid.”

“Who spoke first?”

Professor Shin Jae-yu stuck his tongue out at him.

In fact, they also knew that even if all the professors here combined their strength, it would not be enough to reach the powerful energy that the core contained.

But they just had a silent, determined look on their faces. There was no trace of fear or sadness in them.

“Oh my, if I knew it would end up like this, I should have confessed. At this age, I’m going to die without ever dating… ”

Professor Shin Jae-yu grumbled as he approached the core that was emitting a loud noise and steam.

“Confession? To whom? To Jaehyuk?”

“Are you crazy? Why would I do that to that person?”

When she spoke with a frown, Professor Kwon Chan-yeol looked puzzled.

“Didn’t you like him?”

“What kind of nonsense are you talking about… That kind of crazy guy wouldn’t take it even if you gave it to him.”

“Then who…?”

Professor Shin Jae-yu hesitated for a moment, then slightly lowered his head. Then, without saying anything, he raised his finger and pointed at him.

Then Professor Kwon Chan-yeol asked blankly.

“… Me?”

“Why am I playing the professor game that I don’t have in my fortune? I didn’t come here just to follow my senior.”

“What…? But… ”

“Even if I ask him to go out drinking, he doesn’t like it, and even if I call him on his days off, he’s always busy. Oh my… How did I end up with such an oblivious man… ”

She glared at me and kept asking questions.

Professor Kwon Chan-yeol, who had been silent for a moment, smiled bitterly.

“… Are you upset?”

“Uh.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it sooner. I never dreamed you’d think that way… ”

“Huh. Okay. Now that you’ve come to this… ”

“How can I make you feel better? If you miraculously survive, can you go on a date with me?”

“Oh, it looks like I’m going to have my first date in the afterlife… ”

He grumbled, but he didn’t seem to particularly dislike it. Professor Kwon Chan-yeol, who had been smiling bitterly the whole time, turned his gaze back to the brightly lit core.

“… I’m really sorry. At least for the last time… ”

It was at this point that he was muttering in a tone that sounded a little apologetic.

Suddenly, from behind them, a voice no one expected was heard.

“I think you’re still too young to die.”

“You… !”

The professors all turned their heads and shouted when they found someone.

The famous masked boy appeared with a shuffling sound. Every time he took a breath, the sound of air escaping could be heard. Everywhere he went, drops of blood dripped down.

It was such a miserable sight that it was impossible to imagine what had happened.

“Hey… !”

Professor Shin Jae-yu, astonished, approached him. As if he had been waiting, the male student untied the blade from his waist and handed it to her.

“Oh my god… That looks…!”

“I’ll give you back the blade.”

“What…?”

He took the blade in a fluster and walked away without saying a word, leaving the female professor behind. His destination was always straight towards the core.

Professor Kwon Chan-yeol approached him and tried to stop him from raising his hand.

“No! Get off! If you touch the core now…!”

“… ”

But he paid no attention and approached the core, raising his hand. The smell of grilling meat spread everywhere along with the sizzling sound of flesh, but he did not move an inch.

Then he lifted his other trembling arm and stretched it out into the empty air. The professors, overwhelmed by the sight, could do nothing but stare blankly at him. They could not even guess the boy’s intentions.

And the miracle happened in the next moment.

-Whaaah…!

Then, a cool breeze blew from somewhere. Soon, it became a huge headwind and swept fiercely. The particles that had gathered at one point gathered at his open palm.

Soon they began to surge through his body and into his core.

“Krrr… Krrr… !”

The boy groaned as if he was struggling.

A professor who had been blankly staring at the scene suddenly shouted as if he had discovered something.

“What is this…!”

His gaze was directed towards the core. The core, which had been swelling endlessly, was now becoming quiet.

The ear-piercing roar seemed to fade away and was no longer audible. The ominous yellow light that had been glowing was disappearing, and the usual translucent and clear color was gradually returning.

Before I knew it, the fever had died down and everything around me was quiet as if nothing had happened.

“Nonsense… No… Way… To Do It… ”

“It’s a miracle… This is… !”

The professors all muttered in awe. Professor Shin Jae-yu, who had been blankly watching the scene, turned his head toward Core.

“… Could this be you… ”

The boy was still standing there, motionless. Rather, his firm appearance aroused a sense of needless anxiety.

Soon his new body seemed to shake, then suddenly collapsed and fell to the floor.

Professor Shin Jae-yu, who saw him, was shocked and came running.

“No! Come on!!”

“Call the medical staff, call the medical staff!! Quickly!!!”

In his blurred vision, Lee Hyeon only let out a gasp of breath.

“Ugh… Ugh… ”

Even though extreme pain and fatigue were weighing on his entire body, he was smiling with a sense of accomplishment.

“Oh my… I did… it… again… and protected it… ”

And before I could finish speaking, my vision soon darkened.