Chapter 227

〈Chapter 227〉 Part 1, Chapter 10, Section 30

After enduring Blazing Phoenix’s less-than-hospitable welcome, I finally got to see with my own eyes why she summoned me.

“This is your battle history so far. See it?”

Blazing Phoenix clicked the TV remote, flipping through channels starting from 001 and going up to over 200.

“In just a little over three months since you started your activities, how much have you been throwing yourself into fights? Anyway, I picked out a few things to nag about.”

Blazing Phoenix stopped at one channel. By her command, I endured the torment of having her sit on my thigh and stroke me.

“First off, when did you fight this?”

“Wasn’t it when I fought Light Blade?”

The video showed my point-of-view as Dual Swords slashed toward me before I unleashed Rusalka’s full power.

Blood splattered as my fist grazed his collar.

“Of course I fought well. That’s me after all.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about. Look.”

The fight paused briefly, and then I started yelling loudly.

“Are you mad because I talk too much right now? I talk less than you!”

“That’s not it…”

Objectively, I might’ve talked a lot, but that wasn’t what Blazing Phoenix was pointing out.

“What happened to all these wounds?”

“Oh.”

I thought of an unlikely scenario, but decided to stay quiet until she spoke.

“Next channel.”

Blazing Phoenix quickly switched to another screen showing the battle at the Yangtze River where I dove in to find Hydra’s weakness amidst chaos.

“See it?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty clear. Phoenix easily overcoming chaos.”

Impressive how many times I was submerged and resurfaced while challenging chaos. But Blazing Phoenix seemed dissatisfied with my answer.

“You deliberately pretend not to understand what I’m saying. Let’s go all the way.”

Finally, she played the last channel showing the recent battle against the three officers.

“With those… girls, you don’t even mention what you did with Hydra.”

“So?”

“Do I really have to say it myself?”

On-screen, my monster form Phoenix had her wrist cut off by wind blades, several obsidian swords pierced through her chest, and stone serpents coiled around her ankles biting her.

“Are you some kind of masochist? Why are you fighting so recklessly?”

“Recklessly? What problem does getting wounded like that cause if it regenerates anyway?”

I didn’t understand what Blazing Phoenix worried about—did she really care?

“It doesn’t matter since it’ll regenerate.”

“I see…”

Blazing Phoenix pinched my arm wrapped around her waist. The world’s strongest special ability user pinching me in her domain—it hurt beyond words.

“All these injuries could put you into shock, you know?”

“That’s true…”

“How many blackouts have you had?”

“…Since the fight with Light Blade, I stopped counting because it was annoying.”

“This is exactly what I mean. You do whatever you want.”

Blazing Phoenix turned around. We sat facing each other on the couch, but she flipped her body to grab my collar.

“When I first appeared, didn’t I tell you to take care of your body?”

“So that’s why I kept fighting in monster form.”

“Did you ever think about fighting without getting hurt?”

“…Ah.”

Unlikely as it seemed, it was true.

“Were you actually worrying about me? Telling me not to get hurt?”

“Don’t try to change the subject. Whether you like it or not, you’re the owner of my body now. Not only do I hate seeing you toss my body around recklessly, but I also dislike seeing you suffer repeatedly.”

Blazing Phoenix shook my collar while muttering.

“Didn’t you know that the pain you feel also flows into me inside?”

“…Really?”

I had no idea.

“Wow, how embarrassing.”

Blazing Phoenix laughed sarcastically.

“Have you known this all along?”

“You never told me. If it hurt, you should’ve said something.”

“You completely misunderstood what I said. How can you be so dense?”

“If you don’t say things directly, I won’t understand. I’m the type who gets frustrated easily and doesn’t interpret things correctly unless they’re straightforward.”

“…”

Blazing Phoenix let go of my collar, crossing her arms and glaring at me.

“Listen, tenant.”

“Oh, promoted from unauthorized squatter to tenant.”

“Stop interrupting with nonsense.”

“Yes, landlord.”

Blazing Phoenix tapped herself with her finger and began speaking.

“Let’s talk about your beloved <Blazing Phoenix>’s fighting style, shall we?”

“…No. That’s non-negotiable.”

Realizing what she was about to say, I preempted her. She understood my evasive response and sighed in exasperation.

“You catch onto things like this so quickly. Do you really enjoy punching so much? Huh?”

“Well, now that I’ve become the embodiment of the strongest, isn’t it natural for me to fight in a way I know best?”

“That’s fine, but why use my body for it?”

“There’s always regeneration, right? Because Phoenixes resurrect, even if my neck gets chopped off or I get pierced by needles, I’ll come back.”

“Then let’s rewind to that channel again?”

I requested to revisit the scene where I rode Hydra’s butt and plucked the heads sprouting from its back. Blazing Phoenix held onto the remote, flipping through the screens herself.

“Look. If I were dodging and attacking from afar, it would’ve taken at least an hour. But here…”

“Rather than spending an hour, you’d rather finish it in five minutes?”

“Exactly. Isn’t it great how much time it saves?”

“And thanks to that, you experienced unnecessary pain. Losing your wrist, getting stabbed with needles, being poisoned by toxins that dissolve magic power…”

“…”

Our conversation seemed destined to diverge once more. As usual, I was the first to give in.

…Always?

“Alright. I’ll be careful moving forward. But it’s impossible to avoid everything. Against someone else, maybe, but against Gaechonkwang, close combat is necessary.”

“Block, release, counterattack. Don’t throw yourself out there shouting ‘Give flesh, take bone!’ Understand?”

“…Complaining is Baek Hee-a’s specialty.”

“Who’s talking about another woman?”

Blazing Phoenix flicked my philtrum. Even though it was probably just mental, it hurt like crazy. Mostly emotionally.

“Got it. I’ll show mercy.”

“Swear it.”

“Alright.”

“Hmph.”

Blazing Phoenix cleared her throat and pushed my forehead with her finger.

“Human who entered someone else’s body without permission, provisionally named <Phoenix>, do you swear to take care of my body while fighting?”

“…”

In the playful yet somehow solemn atmosphere, I pledged to Blazing Phoenix without hesitation.

“Yes. Except in unavoidable circumstances, I will fight while sparing my body as much as possible.”

“…Then let this be proof of your vow.”

“Proof of the vow? What-”

Blazing Phoenix suddenly covered my eyes.

And consciousness faded again.

* * *

“Now, let’s begin the strategy meeting.”

“All of a sudden?”

“You’ve rested enough already, haven’t you?”

Blazing Phoenix spread her arms, gesturing around us. We were walking along the Han River park at Yeouido, enjoying the breeze.

“Awakening spirits is helping you indirectly, which feels quite awkward, but what can I do? They’re ultimately my poor family members.”

“Is the ‘sister’ thing real sibling stuff?”

“Nope. It’s not that. The details don’t concern you. Seriously, it’s our internal matter.”

“…Is there background info I don’t know about, or are you intentionally hiding it?”

I stopped walking and asked. Walking with her hands behind her back, Blazing Phoenix turned to face me.

“Both. In your original work, it’s a setting deliberately concealed, and there’s neither obligation nor need to tell you.”

Blazing Phoenix momentarily looked melancholic before frowning and snapping at me.

“Sigh, trying to explain things simply makes me sound bad again. Listen carefully. I clearly state: you are not a character from the game you used to play. Got it?”

“I already understand fully, so it’s fine. You’re you. I comprehend.”

“…Your easy acceptance irritates me. Anyway, regarding that background…”

Blazing Phoenix frowned as if remembering something.

“You’ll naturally understand when you reach mythology.”

“Are you hinting I should reach mythology?”

“Nope. Just saying. Besides, while you’re here, we can’t hide anything from each other anyway. More embarrassing than being naked, right?”

“It feels like only I’m being exposed.”

“Pfft. Well seen. Your positions with the sisters. Though, there was one who escaped your grasp!”

“Considering I saw the marital affairs of Light Blade couple, it’s all complete now…right?”

Mentioning it directly made it even more embarrassing. With access to all data from my gameplay, Blazing Phoenix knew every intimate act I did with the heroines.

“…Were you watching any specific channels on the TV earlier?”

“It’s fun collecting them. Now I understand why you obsess over 100% completion. Oh, by the way.”

Blazing Phoenix mimicked putting on a visor and smirked meaningfully.

“I’ve had a good indirect experience. How men do it.”

“…Is this NTR? Is it?”

“Anyway, stop thinking about that. So, warning ahead of time.”

Blazing Phoenix raised her index finger and waved it side to side.

“Trying to seduce me with sex techniques won’t work. I know all your patterns. Besides…”

Blazing Phoenix wagged her pinky finger.

“Just looking at what you did with Yuinah tells me everything. Pfft.”

“That’s…enough.”

Too embarrassed to bear anymore, I lunged at Blazing Phoenix to cover her mouth.

“How could you have done it more times with Yuinah than with fifteen others, mmph.”

When I covered her mouth with my hand, she bit my finger and ran away.

“Hmph, trying to interrupt me, huh?”

“…Seriously, it hurts so much just from biting one finger.”

“It seems you have one painful finger among ten. Ah, the topic drifted again. Where were we…”

“Strategy meeting.”

Blazing Phoenix snapped her fingers happily.

“That’s it! That’s what I wanted to say. Hmm, let’s discuss how to approach each spirit?”

“Here and now? Initially, my plans were ruined because someone set traps twenty years ago.”

“…”

I genuinely teased her, and Blazing Phoenix merely smiled faintly without a word.

“Well…regarding that, I’ll clarify later. Although explaining itself sounds ridiculous.”

“…True, if someone like me found out a mere human tried to take over my body, I’d create chaos too. Got it. But you must explain later. At least I don’t want to experience something like today again.”

“That’s obvious. In exchange, I’ll help you only with situations involving ‘approaching spirits.’ If you were trying to awaken someone like Penril or Azidahaka, or if you were proposing marriage to Baek Hee-a like last time, I’d keep quiet.”

“…Understood.”

Blazing Phoenix mentioned keeping silent herself. It was sincere. Therefore, I agreed without argument.

“Then, let’s seriously start the strategy meeting. Before that…”

“Anything else?”

“Yes. To see how well you follow my instructions, let’s start with a test.”

“…Something felt off since you recreated this environment.”

We stood at Yeouido Han River Park.

Even though it’s a space manifested within the spiritual realm, its symbolism remains unchanged.

“Yes, the place where I died. And also the place where you, the ‘protagonist,’ fought me.”

“The protagonist just mouths off from behind.”

“Quit complaining and raise your arm. It’s a rare opportunity, isn’t it? You’ve been wanting to hit me for so long. Pfft.”

“Isn’t fighting one’s inner self within the spiritual world a trope among protagonists?”

Following Blazing Phoenix’s words, I obediently raised my guard. She lifted her clothes on both sides, bowing her head to me.

“Don’t underestimate yourself. You’re the protagonist here.”

“That’s not reassuring at all. Besides, wasn’t the battle with Blazing Phoenix in the latter part of the original story? The minimum recommended level involves seven SS-rank fighters. You expect me to handle it alone?”

“Hmm, so you’re scared? Need some motivation?”

Blazing Phoenix ignited flames on her right hand stretched above her left shoulder. Her usually confident face became intensely serious.

“If you win against me, I’ll give you a great reward. Maybe…a kiss?”

“An appropriately motivating incentive. About 70% of my enthusiasm has returned.”

Blazing Phoenix knows me too well.

“70%? For a kiss I offer?”

“Since we’re kissing anyway, let’s boost it to 100% with some se-”

Blazing Phoenix launched the first attack. Without finishing my sentence, I had to dive into battle with her.