〈Chapter 336〉 Part 1, Chapter 14, Section 27
<Location: Dongjak-gu, Old Noryangjin Exam Village Site.>
“Do we really have to live in a place like this?”
“Ah, no kidding, this is the right place! There’s definitely going to be a university built nearby! It’s reliable information!”
“And what about that?! Aren’t the bases of those Blue Wind Sect people all concentrated around Yeouido? We should’ve moved closer to Yeouido!”
“What are you gonna do about it?! With the mortgage, we don’t even have enough money! Don’t you know that property prices in Seoul are through the roof?! At least we’re buying while the housing prices are still relatively low!”
The middle-aged couple bickered back and forth. The shouting match was happening in the living room of a two-bedroom apartment, while their two daughters clung to each other and cried.
They looked like twins but one sobbed uncontrollably while the other didn’t shed a single tear.
“What are we gonna do… huh, sniffling, are we really gonna live here now…?”
“We have to.”
The shorter girl spoke calmly. The taller one sniffled as she asked her question.
“Why can’t we live in New Seoul like before?”
“Dad sold our house there without telling Mom. And he dumped all the money into this place.”
“What are you talking about…?”
“That means we have to live in Seoul from now on.”
“Huh, sniffling, waaaah-”
“Don’t cry. If you cry, Mom will get even more mad, sis.”
The younger sister consoled her older sister, who eventually stopped crying. But their mother had already heard her daughter’s sobs long ago.
“How are we supposed to live here?! Furniture?! Food?! No, even if we tighten our belts and decide to live here, how are the kids going to go to school?! They’re still middle schoolers!”
“Ah, I told you I’ve thought it all through!!”
There was no sign of the couple’s argument ending. The problem stemmed from the reckless patriarch moving to Seoul without proper discussion, banking only on uncertain future prospects.
And the biggest issue was that there was no turning back.
The contract had been signed, all assets liquidated. With the added burden of a mortgage, there was no way to reverse course.
A family of four, with two middle school daughters, had moved into a 10-pyeong apartment in Noryangjin, Seoul.
Though the building appeared newly constructed, according to the land registry and title deeds, it was over thirty years old.
“Oh my god, I can’t survive like this! When we got married, you promised not to let me lift a finger for water or anything!”
“If you become a Hunter or something, we can make it work! We’re all Special Ability users, aren’t we!”
“Screw that! Is that even an option?! Neither you nor I are common Water Manipulators! In South Korea, how many people can’t shoot water from their fingers…. Hmph.”
The mother closed her mouth. Her emotions had gotten the better of her, causing her to slip up, and one of the sisters—still clinging to the other—jumped up from where they sat.
“Nuri! Nuri!”
“Where to?! This is Seoul, isn’t it?!”
Bang!
The young girl, Nuri, ran out of the house. Though it was dark outside, Nuri could see unusually well in the night.
Better than any of the three other Special Ability users in her family.
“Huh, huff, ah…”
Puberty. A tempestuous time.
For a middle school sophomore in such a sensitive phase, enduring her current situation proved too much.
“My life is totally screwed…”
And so was the present moment. Without knowing where she was headed, Nuri ran until she reached the Han River, where the only sound was the gentle flow of water.
“Wow…”
The reflection of Yeouido’s lights on the Han River was breathtaking. Nuri felt moved by the scene.
“…Seoul does have one thing going for it.”
She felt she’d be frequenting this spot often in the future. Just as Nuri turned to leave,
Whoosh.
High in the sky, above the 63 Building, blue wings unfurled. Startled by the sudden wave of heat, Nuri gasped.
“Wha—what the hell…!”
Had something just swept past her? Confused, Nuri stared up at the sky again, but all she saw were the blue wings before they disappeared.
Wheeeeeeew!!
The blue wings vanished into the distance. Feeling deflated, Nuri lowered her head.
“…That must be some super strong Special Ability user.”
Compared to them, she—a person unable to even awaken the basic water manipulation ability—felt utterly powerless, useless, and worthless—
“…?”
Somewhere nearby, someone was sobbing. Cautiously, Nuri made her way down to the Han River embankment, where she spotted a Seoul landmark.
“Whoa.”
The Black Flame Dragon stood with its wings spread diagonally toward where the blue wings had disappeared, but soon dropped its head dejectedly.
Grrr.
The Black Flame Dragon was crying.
Nuri sensed something strange in its voice.
“Damn, my life sucks…”
GRRR?!
The dragon’s elongated eyes locked onto Nuri. Instinctively, she took a step back but then clenched her fists and glared defiantly.
“…What? What do you want?! Did I buy this place?!”
…Grrr.
The Black Flame Dragon was at a loss for how to handle this audacious middle schooler.
* * *
<Location: Busan>
“Haa, haa.”
Seok Harang fell to her knees. Despite her nearly infinite Magic Power, trying to “fix” the ocean while defending against her opponent’s relentless attacks proved too much.
“Tsk, tsk. How can you call yourself SS Rank if this is your best effort? All this strength you’re using, you stole it from our dear Rusalka, didn’t you?”
“Shut… up!”
Seok Harang unleashed a burst of Magic Power by stomping her foot hard.
Shards of broken ice walls transformed into sharp spears and flew toward her opponent. The brown-haired woman standing atop the jagged cliffs extending into the sea merely smiled as she raised her hand.
“It’s useless, I’ve told you how many times now?”
Dozens of earth dragons erupted from beneath the cliffs and began rampaging. The earth dragons chomped and gnawed on the ice spears Seok Harang had launched, swallowing them whole mid-air.
“I should’ve dealt with you earlier. Guess I got lazy thinking it’d be too much trouble. Who needs Seongju-sama when the so-called world’s strongest is this weak?”
“Haa, haa, winning by exploiting elemental advantages…!”
Seok Harang struggled to maintain her last shred of pride.
“You wouldn’t have to resort to such cowardly tactics if you fought fair!”
“Coward?”
The brown-haired woman, Hydra, shrugged nonchalantly.
“What’s this?”
Hydra gestured to the numerous ships tethered to the cliffs. From fishing boats to gray warships, Hydra had anchored them to the cliffs and used them as shields against Seok Harang’s attacks.
“Why? Worried you might hit someone inside? Goodness gracious, Heroes are truly clueless. Getting worked up over a few deaths? Everyone’s dying in five years anyway, you know?”
“Your face looks so old but your trash talk skills are top-notch.”
Chomp. Hydra gritted her teeth and licked her lips. Despite sweating profusely, Seok Harang mocked Hydra.
“Auntie, maybe you should try improving your makeup skills somewhere else? Even the middle school girls in my neighborhood could do better than that!”
“Y-you…!”
Hydra shot earth dragons at Seok Harang. Seok Harang fired ice spears to intercept them, but the earth dragons kept charging forward despite being pierced.
“Graaah…!”
Seok Harang tried pulling seawater to cut off the earth dragons’ heads. However, Hydra inserted ships between the dragons, forcing Seok Harang to hesitate.
‘Damn it—’
Whoosh.
Blue Flame wings blocked Seok Harang’s vision.
[Looks like you need some training.]
Something descended from the sky and grabbed Seok Harang around the waist. Surprised by the firm, hot sensation wrapping around her midsection, Seok Harang both relaxed and became irritated.
“M-my, I could’ve handled it alone! Just give me ten minutes!”
[Ten minutes? More like five minutes and you’d figure out a strategy.]
Phoenix held Seok Harang aloft in the air. The earth dragons’ attack missed, striking only empty air.
[Unfortunately, we don’t have time. I still need to clean up here and get back to Indochina.]
“……So it was you who implanted Rusalka into a human?”
Hydra smirked up at Phoenix. Phoenix scanned the area before gently setting Seok Harang down.
[Pennil isn’t here.]
“…….”
[Guess my probing didn’t work. Tch.]
Hydra remained ambiguously silent, offering no response, and Phoenix grew frustrated that her attempt to probe had failed.
[Seok Harang.]
“Yeah.”
[I’m going to cut off the magic power. Go save the people.]
“Got it. Shouldn’t ‘he’ be able to save them too?”
[It’s better if I handle it since ‘that one’ and I are mutually nullifying.]
Phoenix entrusted the people to Seok Harang and locked eyes with Hydra. Hydra frowned and covered her mouth with her hand.
“Goodness, you’re angry? My back still hurts from earlier.”
[A meaningless diversion won’t help. I’ve already been to Seoul and back.]
“…….”
Hydra closed her eyes briefly.
“Is that so? That’s unfortunate.”
Upon reopening her eyes, Hydra spread her arms wide and fell backward. As Phoenix hastily folded her wings to descend, Hydra simply disappeared into the ground with a casual shrug.
“I intend to blow up the entire Korean Peninsula.”
Swoosh.
Hydra’s body sank into the earth. Phoenix urgently threw a Flame Sphere, but it only created a crater in the ground.
“Hey, hey! Everyone’s been saved!”
Having escaped Hydra’s restraint, Seok Harang swiftly and accurately rescued the ships. Though some suffered minor injuries, there were no serious casualties.
[…Then we need to prepare for the next phase.]
“Huh? What do you mean?”
[It’s Hydra’s specialty.]
Phoenix clenched her fist as she looked down at where Hydra had fled.
[Island Collision. Get ready, Tsushima Island is advancing toward Busan.]
Grumble, grumble, grumble.
As Phoenix finished speaking, Tsushima Island began slowly moving across the sea.
