Chapter 354

〈 Chapter 354 〉 Part 1, Chapter 15, Section 12

Durability holds a natural advantage over water attributes.

Moreover, the Spirit of Durability, Ji Ryun’s Hydra, not only humiliated Seok Harang but also left him in a highly awkward social position by escaping after the incident.

– Seok Harang, surely you’re not really planning to become the Queen of Demon Island, are you?

People frozen and deported back to Fukuoka, those who escaped on their own, and others who drifted across the sea on makeshift rafts eventually landing in Jeju…

– Still, I’m heading to Korea where SS Rank Special Ability users exist!

– I’m not Japanese, I’m here to apply for refugee status in Korea.

After what Hydra left behind—colloquially known as the “Demon Island Attack”—about 200,000 people remained officially on Demon Island. Most were Japanese, but among them were some foreigners trying to enter Korea via Demon Island.

This was the largest refugee influx since the Pyongyang incident and the refugees from Kaesong.

– Even one plane full of refugees is troublesome, let alone 200,000…

– What about territorial waters? The Busan Strait has disappeared!

Political figures had no brilliant solutions for the unprecedented situation of an island moving entirely, and time dragged on fruitlessly.

Meanwhile, Seok Harang, quietly making ice packages in Busan, moved to New Seoul.

– Is it really because of a girl named Kim Nori?

– Could he be preparing to make some official announcement?

The timing couldn’t have been more significant—it was August 14th, a day with various symbolic meanings.

As expected, Seok Harang did come to New Seoul to make an official announcement, though it wasn’t about Demon Island.

– Oh? Gaechonkwang is arriving in Incheon tonight too?

Yun Yuhwa announced Gaechonkwang’s return via SNS. The private jet departing from LA would brazenly bypass several countries’ airspace despite numerous government requests to comply, heading directly to Incheon.

Suddenly appearing in New Seoul, Aruel.

Gaechonkwang arriving in Incheon after wrapping up events in America.

And Phoenix, who hadn’t ventured out of Seoul.

People noticed the strange coincidences and held their breaths amidst the stormy prelude.

Key figures seemed to have made an unspoken agreement to halt all activities, as if preparing for something big.

* * *

<3:00 PM, Personal Office of the Association Executioner>

“The operation will commence at 10 AM tomorrow. But the actual actions start at 6 AM. By 10 AM, the battles should already be over.”

“That’s assuming it doesn’t drag into a prolonged fight… sigh.”

Baek Hee-a sighed loudly even with others present.

“Miss Nori keeps juggling between Hunter factions, and everyone keeps approaching me wanting deals regarding Lady Aruel… Do you know how stressed I’ve been lately?”

“No idea, don’t care.”

Seok Harang, the very source of Baek Hee-a’s stress, sat there aloof, lost in thought.

“You’re all completely ignoring tomorrow’s battle against the Nuclearian?”

“What? You’re personally fighting, so obviously everything will go smoothly, right? The only thing I’m worried about is one thing…”

Baek Hee-a pointed her pen directly at me.

“Are you really going to give no answers regarding Demon Island and the refugees?”

“But I already said this kind of event didn’t happen in the future!”

“I’m asking how you judge this current situation, regardless of the future.”

“Hmm… Personally, I only have one stance.”

I flicked my finger lightly, and a Blue Flame danced atop it.

“Eliminate it.”

“…Was it wrong of me to ask a villain? Got it. We’ll handle it ourselves then. So, Lady Aruel?”

“Why, Executioner?”

Seok Harang and Baek Hee-a locked eyes, engaging in a silent power struggle. Despite being glared at by an SS Rank special ability user, Baek Hee-a didn’t back down.

“Until yesterday, you insisted that not a single refugee should be accepted. Why the sudden change of heart to accept even a portion of them?”

“…”

Seok Harang glanced at me briefly before shrugging.

“What’s your problem, huh? Ultimately, it’s because of you, isn’t it?”

“How am I the problem?”

“Other than you, what else could possibly make someone like Lady Aruel, who was extremely opposed to accepting refugees, change her mind?”

You hit the nail on the head. But it’s not because of me.

“It’s not directly me, but…”

“Executioner, one of your future wives is apparently among the incoming refugees. A Fire Attribute A Rank special ability user who strongly wishes to naturalize in Korea—a young woman.”

“Name? Appearance? Age?”

Typical Baek Hee-a. When faced with the rare opportunity of having a Fire Attribute A Rank naturalizing, she’s ready to embrace it.

“Since when were you so eager?”

“Originally, we selectively choose refugees anyway. Just tell us who she is. Among the 200,000, we can find her location and kidnap her if necessary.”

“Why so enthusiastic?”

“If we turn her into a Korean citizen, wouldn’t that make you more inclined to stay in Korea too? Frankly speaking…”

Baek Hee-a scanned the world map and pointed at a spot with her pen.

“If the person you love is American, wouldn’t you immediately fly off to the U.S.? You’d abandon everything in Korea without hesitation, right? Isn’t that right, Lady Aruel?”

“Finally, I agree with the Executioner.”

“…”

Difficult to answer, but probably yes. Since Chang-yeom’s main city of activity was in the U.S., I had planned to follow her wherever she wanted to go once everything was settled.

‘I’ll go if Chang-yeom says she wants to go to the U.S.’

But that’s after defeating the interdimensional deity.

“Anyway, I don’t know her original name in Korea. She never taught me. As a wanderer, I don’t even know where she is now.”

“Then maybe you can predict something from the future?”

“In the future, she becomes Su Ri Jung, an S Rank Fire Attribute <Agni>. Her age? I don’t know; she never disclosed it.”

She’s sometimes like a sister, sometimes like a child—very free-spirited. Though she hits hard, I’ve gotten used to it.

“Su Ri Jung…?”

“She changed her name upon naturalization. So, we truly don’t know where she is now. If she had registered as a special ability user with the association, we could track her magic pattern, but alas, no such luck.”

“Did you check?”

“Yes. Right after Nori went missing.”

After Nori’s disappearance, I checked all possible leads for the remaining heroines through official channels.

Aruel remains untraceable.

Yuinah is fortunately living as a regular high school student unaware of her true identity, and Su Ri refuses to reveal her past, so we don’t know where she is either.

‘Actually, I’ve been quietly investigating since Cheon Gaeul.’

I’ve searched extensively, both personally and by probing networks whenever I had spare time. Initially, I had to be discreet due to others’ prying eyes, but after Nori’s disappearance, I stopped caring.

Everything’s exposed anyway. Now it’s just escalating from trash to nuclear waste.

“Still, you’re not denying being married in the future?”

Baek Hee-a smirked and raised her left hand. On her ring finger was a magical protective device I imbued with magic, now shaped as a ring. She proudly flaunted it to Seok Harang.

“…”

Seok Harang shot a glance but I ignored it. Unlike others, Baek Hee-a is non-combatant and doesn’t risk direct battlefield injuries.

“Hmph. Anyway, finding Su Ri will take quite some time. It’s five years earlier compared to the future, so her appearance might differ too.”

I conjured her face with blue flames, revealing a mature adult with full lips and unmistakably Western beauty.

“…If someone like this enters as a refugee, we’d notice naturally, right? Alright, let’s begin screening the refugees starting tomorrow.”

“Screen all 200,000? That’ll take ages!”

“…We can borrow the help of Yu-Sung’s Xroid and Bioid to locate her.”

“Executioner, hold on. Even if that’s the case, why bring all these people to Busan just to find one person? Won’t they scatter everywhere once the ice barrier is lifted?”

As Baek Hee-a and Seok Harang escalated their argument, a knock came from outside. Kim Nori stood beyond the door.

[You said you’d be here…]

Whirr, click.

The automatic door opened, and Kim Nori greeted me and Seok Harang before noticing Baek Hee-a and flinching.

“Uh, ah, hello…?”

Even for someone like Kim Nori, meeting the de facto representative of the Korean Association directly was bound to be awkward.

“Hello, future great hero. I’ve already heard about you from the two of them.”

Baek Hee-a instantly switched expressions, greeting Kim Nori warmly with a motherly smile. Rising from her seat, she even embraced Kim Nori, behaving like a maternal figure.

Ugh.

Though someone nearby intentionally made a gagging sound, I ignored it. Baek Hee-a had put the most effort into taking care of Kim Nori’s mental health, and her nickname “Baek Mama” wasn’t unfounded.

“What were you talking about?”

“…About Demon Island.”

It was difficult to discuss tomorrow’s real mission, so we shifted the topic. Kim Nori showed considerable interest.

“Our queen sister, huh? Not interested.”

“Me neither.”

“I also do not welcome that.”

Everyone strongly opposed Seok Harang becoming the queen of Demon Island. She herself refused outright.

“But with Demon Island stuck right next to Busan, it’s quite a predicament.”

“Is the island moving? Wow! But do you know how it happened? They said it’s still unclear, right? Like, did they install jet engines and float it away or something?”

“…Nuri.”

Baek Hee-a patted Nuri’s back while shaking her head.

“The island isn’t a floating ship. It’s land that rose from the seabed.”

“Then did the ground itself move?”

“Yes.”

I projected a hologram from the Magical Gear. Based on the remnants of Hydra’s magic analyzed by Hikari, the Chinghua Sect and I had long understood the truth behind Demon Island’s movement.

“It’s like keeping the plate intact but moving the mountain on top of it. Imagine cutting a mountain from the bottom and lifting it elsewhere.”

“Exactly that feeling.”

Kim Nori flicked a paper cup on the table with her finger and then kicked it again like playing soccer.

“Treating Demon Island like a ping pong ball. Pfft.”

“…”

Seok Harang suddenly frowned. Leaning back in his chair with arms crossed, he appeared deep in thought.

“What’s wrong?”

“Not… if the land rising from the sea is connected to the seabed?”

Seok Harang gestured horizontally with the edge of his hand.

“If we cut it cleanly, won’t it work?”

“…Drift away?”

Baek Hee-a gasped in shock. Then Seok Harang uncrossed his arms and extended them forward.

“And if I push the sea away?”

“Wouldn’t it float away? Like iceboxes all the way to Fukuoka.”

Seok Harang and Baek Hee-a stared at each other for a while before nodding. Meanwhile, Kim Nori, who provided the spark of inspiration, blinked repeatedly, standing awkwardly like a forgotten bundle of barley.

“…Maybe I shouldn’t have talked so much.”

“Don’t worry about it. Don’t mind it.”

I gave Kim Nori a thumbs-up.

“At least the people of Busan will celebrate you for reclaiming the sea.”

Territory might not expand, but perhaps maritime territory will increase instead.

“But how do we cut it?”

“Gale Guest… nah, Golden Horse isn’t feasible. Another one… ugh. Hard to summon.”

Seok Harang must have thought of Light Blade. There’s no one else capable of creating a sword stretching several kilometers.

Ah.

“There’s one more.”

“Who?”

Perfect timing. This person arrived a day early, planning to leave for Seoul, and is politically neutral in matters like this.

“If anyone later asks who cut Demon Island…”

I shrugged while pressing the Magical Gear.

“We’ll just say a Ghost decapitated Demon Island. Pfft.”

Snap.