〈 Chapter 110 〉 Part 1, Chapter 6 (16)
“It wasn’t like I wanted to kill him! Please believe me!”
Hikari clung to Seung-hyeong’s leg and wailed.
“This guy here—his organs were affected by the monster’s dark energy and he went berserk! There was nothing I could do!”
Even as Hikari said this, she couldn’t help but feel ridiculous. It wasn’t that she had killed out of desire. That excuse belonged to her brother, Gale Guest, who trotted it out every chance he got. She had reprimanded him countless times about it.
And yet, here she was using the exact same words now. It felt so unbearably unfair and infuriating.
“Please… believe me…”
Hikari grabbed hold of Seung-hyeong’s pants and bowed her head. Seung-hyeong knelt down on one knee to meet her gaze.
“Your name is Hikari, right?”
“…Himeji Hikari.”
“Alright, Miss Hikari… you did well.”
Seung-hyeong patted her head. Hikari, stunned by his strange behavior, stopped crying and just stared at him blankly. He patted her back.
“There’s no need for an investigation. This isn’t your fault, okay?”
Hikari unconsciously nodded. Seung-hyeong smiled faintly.
“We don’t even need to check the CCTV or anything. I believe you. You didn’t want to kill him—you only picked up the sword because he tried to kill you first. Right?”
“Yes, yes! …”
Hikari emphatically agreed before trembling anxiously. Why was this man trusting her—a complete stranger, the daughter of someone known for enjoying killing people—so readily?
Seung-hyeong stood up after ruffling her hair with a hand like a giant pot lid.
“I can tell with my sixth sense. It doesn’t lie.”
Seung-hyeong pointed at his heart. Hikari was left utterly baffled.
Sixth sense, also known as intuition or “touch,” was an unscientific sensation. Hikari didn’t believe S-rank ability users could read emotions or thoughts through their sixth sense. If they could, her brother Hayate wouldn’t have acted the way he did toward her all these years.
Yet this man trusted her based solely on some uncertain “feeling.”
“And…”
Seung-hyeong turned toward the man whose corpse was oozing ominous purple smoke from its wounds.
“You didn’t kill anyone.”
“Huh? What-”
Before Hikari could ask, Seung-hyeong’s fist slammed into the corpse. Whoosh! A blue-tinted white flame erupted from his punch, incinerating the body.
“Purifying flames that burn corrupted magic.”
“What…?”
“My flames seem to specialize in purging this kind of dark energy.”
Just as Hikari processed this bizarre statement, the corpse suddenly jolted upright, letting out an ear-piercing scream.
Keeeaaah! Kuweeeek!
The man’s body began twisting grotesquely. His skin hardened like crustacean shells, and his arms transformed into sharp claws. The sight of him turning into something out of a special effects movie made Hikari catch her breath.
“So, with my power, I can return this man to normal!!”
Seung-hyeong calmly threw a punch at the man. The monster-forming man bared its fangs toward Seung-hyeong. Blue flames ignited in Seung-hyeong’s eyes.
Kyaahhh!
The supposedly dead—or rather, feigning death—monster received a direct hit to the face. Its body trembled violently from the impact before collapsing lifelessly.
“Grrr…”
The man’s head lolled to the side, unconscious. Purple saliva spewed from his mouth and was consumed by Seung-hyeong’s flames. Gradually, the man’s ghastly face regained a healthy red hue.
“Huh? Wha-”
“Don’t try to understand. I don’t know the principle either.”
He simply followed what his heart told him. Seung-hyeong sighed in relief as the man’s complexion returned and his breathing stabilized. He then took out a potion carefully stored in his suit and poured it onto the man’s wounds.
“There. Now you haven’t killed anyone. Okay?”
“But—but I injured him!”
“The guy turned into a monster and tried to kill you. I know.”
“How?!”
Seung-hyeong scratched his cheek and grinned. He soon extended a hand toward Hikari, who had collapsed on the floor.
“By instinct. Can you stand?”
“……”
Hikari was grateful her bangs were long enough to hide her reddened face.
“I can stand…”
As Hikari reached for Seung-hyeong’s hand, her legs gave out. The relief of surviving a life-threatening situation drained her of all strength. Seung-hyeong awkwardly chuckled and brought his wrist close to his lips.
“……This is Huakwon. We’ve rescued one passenger and one crew member from the cargo hold.”
“Is that so? By any chance-”
“Yes. Gale Guest’s younger sister, Himeji Hikari. Identity confirmed.”
“Good! Then hand over the sister to another hero and hurry over here! Only you can take care of those things!”
“Wait…what situation is this?”
Confused by the sudden urgency, Seung-hyeong looked at Hikari, who had just barely managed to stand while leaning against his suit. Her eyes glowed with magic power as she focused on the screen.
“Moby Dick was defeated by Harang and Gale Guest! But afterwards, whale parasites burst out of its insides, causing chaos. Luckily, they’re all frozen, so there’s no immediate danger, but it’ll take too much time to capture them all. Harang says we need you, so hurry!”
“……Isn’t there a core somewhere?”
Hikari squinted and buried her head into Seung-hyeong’s chest. Before he could react, she pressed his smartwatch and summoned a virtual keyboard.
“Just give me seven seconds. Let me analyze the magical patterns.”
“What?! What are you-”
“Stay still, Lee Seung-hyeong!”
The magistrate’s commanding voice froze Seung-hyeong in place.
“As expected. These are ordinary monsters that ate Moby Dick’s organs. They were influenced by dark energy but do possess cores—they’re just very small. They’ve grown to A-rank.”
“But Sir Gale has already slain over twenty, and none contained a core.”
“That’s because Big Brother… ahem. Gale Guest cuts everything in one go. Judging from the released magical power, the cores must be about the size of my finger joint. Most likely, the twenty cores he cut ended up sinking into the sea.”
“What?! Wait a moment!”
The magistrate gasped and redirected the signal. On the live feed, Gale Guest could be seen slicing five parasites at once and cheering before realizing something alarming. Hikari giggled at his comical reaction, and Seung-hyeong’s unease dissipated.
‘Thank goodness she didn’t end up taking a life. That would’ve been something she’d have to carry for life.’
“……”
While Hikari was deeply analyzing magical patterns using her smartwatch, Seung-hyeong glanced at the man now breathing steadily.
‘Could humans also be affected by dimensional gate energy like monsters? Is that why this man attacked her?’
His “instinct” suggested so, but his rational mind countered with insufficient evidence. Emotionally, he sympathized with Hikari, who was currently engrossed in analyzing the parasite’s magical patterns.
How terrified she must’ve been when attacked by an adult and forced to stab someone. Seung-hyeong gently patted her shoulder with his other hand.
“……?”
“It’s alright. You did nothing wrong.”
“……Ah.”
Hikari’s pupils wavered again. Seung-hyeong raised his magical power, warming the air around her.
“So, you can relax. It’s not your fault.”
Drip. A tear fell from Hikari’s eye. Just as Seung-hyeong panicked and reached out, Hikari suddenly hugged him tightly and began sobbing.
“Hwaang! Huh, huh-uuuueeeeeeeeerrrrr!”
“Th-that’s right. You’re a good girl.”
Seung-hyeong awkwardly patted her back. Her tears and snot soaked his suit, and soon the magistrate reconnected.
“Hey! Here is ready! Once you arrive…. Hey, Lee Seung-hyeong, what are you doing?”
“……Miss Hikari seems quite shaken. I’ll calm her down before heading over.”
“Ahhh, I see? …Cough. Well, can’t be helped then.”
“What can’t be helped?! Tell him to come immediately!”
Another screen appeared. Seung-hyeong froze upon seeing it—it was Sun Icheol.
“There are thousands of A-rank cores now! Japanese heroes who just calmed down Daemado Island are throwing tantrums trying to get to Busan! What if they drift away into the sea?! And selling these cores alone could bring profits in the billions!”
“President.”
Seung-hyeong interrupted Sun Icheol. His grip tightened on Hikari as he comforted her.
“I will assist whoever needs help in front of me.”
“……That’s what he says. Huakwon! Ensure safe transportation of the patient!”
“What?! Hey! Seung-hyeong!”
Sun Icheol’s screen disappeared. Apparently, the magistrate had cut off the connection. Meanwhile, Hikari had stopped crying and was looking up at Seung-hyeong. She hiccuped occasionally, showing she hadn’t fully calmed down.
“Uh…hic… Did Uncle call you?”
“……Yeah.”
Thanks to the translation device malfunctioning, Seung-hyeong was immensely relieved Hikari was a psychic. Even without shared language, they could communicate through magical resonance.
“Well, I’m coming too. Take me along.”
“What? No way. It’s dangerous.”
Hikari shook her head and firmly grabbed Seung-hyeong’s suit.
“I feel safest next to Uncle. Please take me there… My brother will be there.”
“Ah.”
Seung-hyeong instantly understood. Coming all the way from America to save her younger brother, her concern for his safety must be immense.
Still, it troubled him whether bringing such a young psychic child into battle, especially where parasites swarmed, was truly right. As Seung-hyeong pondered this educational dilemma, the magistrate signaled again.
“If Miss Himeji comes, it’d be like having an army of ten thousand. But are you sure?”
“I’m fine. I’ve seen worse during the Dodgers incident.”
“Ah!”
Seung-hyeong finally remembered what kind of person Hikari was. Despite her tender age, she had identified the weak points of dragons, contributing significantly to the conquest of the Dodgers Gate. In her confusion over stabbing someone, he had mistakenly judged her as merely a fragile girl.
“Sorry. I’ll bring you back quickly.”
Seung-hyeong briefly checked the man’s condition. Fortunately, he remained unconscious on the ground, and footsteps descending the stairs could be heard.
“Huakwon!”
“Master Pungbaek! Please take care of the unconscious sailor!”
“……Understood!”
Pungbaek sat beside the sailor and helped him up. As Seung-hyeong prepared to leave, Hikari tugged at his collar.
“Carry me.”
“……What? You want me to carry you?”
Hikari nodded. Seung-hyeong took a deep breath and offered his back.
“It might be dangerous. Are you sure?”
“……”
Hikari climbed onto his back in a piggyback position with an annoyed expression, which Seung-hyeong completely missed. Turning his head, he asked again.
“Are you sure?”
“…Whose little sister do you think I am? Hmph.”
Her firm tone made Seung-hyeong chuckle nervously as he surrounded himself with magical power.
“Then hold on tight!”
Seung-hyeong propelled himself upward with great force from the cargo hold.
Jumping over the stairs, ascending to the deck, crossing over the sea. He could feel Hikari pressing closer in surprise on his back.
Thump thump.
His heartbeat quickened as they approached Haeundae. The flames inside his heart burned brighter, seemingly urging him onward. With each passing moment, the presence of monsters filled with dark energy grew stronger.
Gulp.
It had to be. This wasn’t due to pre-battle tension but rather a physiological response to the contact with the girl on his back.
‘No, it’s not!’
Before he could question himself further, Seung-hyeong arrived at Haeundae Beach. The sight of heroes bustling around the icy Haeundae beachfront seemed somewhat comical.
Standing at the edge of a massive ice pit, Harang shouted to the heroes.
“Hurry up! Collect them before that scoundrel steals them!”
“Who’s calling me a scoundrel?! Can’t you see I’m helping too?!”
Hayate stabbed a frozen parasite block with his sword and tossed it into the pit. Other heroes carefully moved the blocks to avoid breaking them and threw them into the pit.
Clang! The ice chunks collided with others already inside. Trapped within the ice were the parasites. Harang noticed Seung-hyeong standing nearby with his hand on the ice.
“Hey, Uncle! …Who’s on your back?”
“Gale Guest’s younger sister, Miss Hikari. Come on.”
Seung-hyeong lowered his stance, and Hikari reluctantly slid off his back. Upon spotting her, Hayate leaped over the pit in one swift motion and rushed to Hikari.
“Hikariiiiiiiiii!!”
With a roar loud enough to echo across all of Haeundae, Hayate ran straight toward Hikari and struck her forehead with his fist.
“Ouch?!”
“Are you insane?! Seriously?! Did you hack tickets again?! Are you trying to kill me?! How many times did I tell you not to come to Korea since it’s dangerous?! Why do you act on your own like this?! I told you! You’re still in middle school, not an adult!”
“……Tsk.”
Hikari rubbed her sore forehead and stuck out her tongue. The hurricane of scolding continued unabated, leaving Hikari no choice but to endure it silently.
“……Sorry.”
“Sorry?! After killing someone, you think saying sorry will make it all better?! Eh?!”
“…”
Seung-hyeong stepped between the siblings. Hayate’s eyes narrowed dangerously, and a murderous intent flashed in them.
“Move. We’re having a family discussion right now.”
“I’ll explain later, but that comment you just made was a mistake.”
Seung-hyeong’s calm statement deflated Hayate’s anger. He subtly gestured behind him, and Hikari, trembling slightly, clutched his collar to hide from Hayate.
“……Sigh.”
Hayate looked up at the sky. Words once spoken cannot be taken back.
“Sorry, little sister.”
Removing his goggles, Hayate bent down to meet Hikari’s eyes. Their resemblance was striking, almost like twins, as they locked gazes at the same level.
“I didn’t realize you wanted to come here so badly just because I was wandering outside. I also didn’t know what happened to you on the ship… Sorry for pressuring you too much.”
“……”
Hikari simply opened her arms wide. Hayate grinned broadly and scooped her up in a warm embrace.
“Magistrate. Sorry to bother, but is there somewhere we can put her to rest? Things are calming down here, and Hikari needs sleep.”
“Really? Hmm… Ah, understood. There’s a hotel run by Yu Sung nearby. I’ll send a vehicle-”
“No need. Walking will be faster.”
Hayate cradled Hikari like an infant, patting her back gently as he stepped into the air. The Magistrate hastily marked the location on the map, and Hayate exchanged glances between Harang and Seung-hyeong.
“We’ll talk later. Especially you, Huakwon…”
Was there a hint of menace in his tone? Seung-hyeong wondered if it was just his imagination. Hayate vanished into the air with a step.
“……We’re in trouble.”
Seung-hyeong scratched his head. Though he hadn’t done anything wrong, he felt as though he had committed a grave error. Even Harang’s expression was ambiguous.
“Uncle. How long has it been since you saw our master last?”
Harang’s sudden question made Seung-hyeong reflect.
“…Probably the first time?”
“……Ah ha. …Haha, hehe! Ahahahaha!!!”
Suddenly, Harang started laughing uncontrollably, clutching his stomach. His convulsions while resting his hands on the ice resembled someone suffering from bipolar disorder.
“Didn’t fall for it! Kyuh! He marked his territory directly on someone else’s heart, that bastard! Ahahaha!”
“Excuse me? Lady Seolhwa?”
The heroes tossing blocks of ice containing parasites paused momentarily at Harang’s maniacal laughter.
“Ah, haha, haa… Sorry. It just reminded me of something.”
Harang struggled to calm down, panting heavily. Yet traces of suppressed laughter lingered as he bit his lip.
“Uncle, wait a moment.”
Harang touched his hairpin shaped like a blue bird. Seung-hyeong furrowed his brows, sensing a déjà vu.
Thump!
His heart pounded loudly. Seung-hyeong internally sighed in relief. Clearly, the earlier pounding was due to pre-battle tension.
Harang tapped his hairpin with his fingers before growling in frustration.
“Mr. Ha, won’t respond. …Never mind. At least I learned something amusing. Heh heh. Uncle! Come here for work.”
Seung-hyeong tilted his head awkwardly as Harang’s expression turned mischievous.
“What do you want me to do with this?”
“Details to the magistrate! …Oh? Wow. That guy even left a hint. Creepy.”
As Harang answered his own questions, Seung-hyeong called the magistrate. Yoo Young-ho, with heavy dark circles but a bright smile, displayed a simulation outlining the operation on the screen.
“Time to incinerate the trash, Seung-hyeong.”
* * *
<Nearby, D Island>
“Nice job.”
Heo Yoon-hwan stood at the edge of a cliff, watching the flames rising from Haeundae.
Inside the massive ice wall created by Harang, Seung-hyeong’s white flames melted the ice while burning the parasites. Those that broke free of the ice met the same fiery fate, turning to ash.
Clang clang. Tiny cores began accumulating neatly within the ice wall. Sensing the magical power waves of the growing collection of A-rank cores, Heo Yoon-hwan tapped the side of his mask.
“Should we really hand these over to the association as is?”
“Yes. The association needs room to sustain itself. Besides, I no longer crave cores. I have a supplier now.”
Yun Yuhwa giggled. Realizing who the supplier was, Heo Yoon-hwan shook his head.
“So that’s why you two teamed up.”
“To father, apologies are in order. It keeps feeling like we’re pulling scams.”
“It’s fine. You brought me back from the dead, so it balances out. I understand. But-”
Click. Heo Yoon-hwan pressed the button on the stick in his hand.
Zzzoom. A pillar of light shot up from the handle. Heo Yoon-hwan swung the newly formed lightsaber experimentally, nodding in approval.
“Indeed, Yu Sung’s technology is impressive. To recreate this…”
[…Father?]
“Understood. From now on, let’s keep it moderate. Still-”
Heo Yoon-hwan slashed horizontally with the lightsaber.
Ziiing. The golden blade grazed the sea surface, cleanly bisecting several marine monsters just emerging from the water.
Heo Yoon-hwan pressed the button again, dispersing the magical power forming the blade. Below the cliff, the bodies of the sea monsters floated to the surface.
“Isn’t this more than enough to cover the drinks bill?”
“Bills for food, actually?”
“…Let’s overlook the trivial matters from now on.”
The horizon began to glow with the rising sun. Heo Yoon-hwan turned around.
“The rest, I leave to you. I’ll head back soon.”
[Wait a moment. Gale Guest is at the hotel. If you come now, you might-]
“That flirt who kept hitting on my daughter during the fight?”
[Father?]
Heo Yoon-hwan cleared his throat awkwardly under his mask and closed his eyes tightly.
“…No, never mind. I’ll wait here.”
[I apologize. I’ll arrange another location right away.]
“No need. It’s fine.”
Heo Yoon-hwan slumped onto the bushes. Behind him stood a broken tombstone.
In the distance, Harang lifting the ice pit came into view. Heo Yoon-hwan leaned back against the tombstone, enjoying the rising sunlight.
“When I see Rusalka next, I’ll probably get an earful.”
More than just an earful, likely.
“…Am I drinking too much?”
Heo Yoon-hwan shivered at the auditory hallucinations in his ears.
* * *
June 2nd, morning 6:30 AM.
Princess Seolhwa Stone Harang created an ice tomb, inside which Huakwon Lee Seung-hyeong set fire to destroy the Anisakis parasites, and the heroes collected approximately 3,000 cores remaining in the ice tomb.
Not only was there monetary gain, but Korea reaffirmed its invaluable asset.
Princess Seolhwa Stone Harang, no longer fitting the title of princess, matured into a woman and admirably filled the void left by her teacher.
This was the day the world’s first SS-rank ability user was born.
<Busan Side, Fin.>
