044 – Inoi and the Small Stationery Store #8
“This guy seems like he’s going to cause some trouble.”
Since sending the thesis on the crack via email—
Seo Ye-rim had been monitoring Haildo’s every move.
The reason and justification were clear.
“That punk Haildo is a temporary employee of our Telos Corporation. If someone like him causes a problem anywhere, it will lower our Telos stock prices.”
It was a very legitimate argument.
Seo Ye-rim’s secretary and friend, An Young-eun, found it quite amusing that Seo Ye-rim suddenly thought about stock prices, but she agreed with the sentiment.
She could sense that something significant was about to happen—she had a gut feeling about it.
So, they watched together.
It seemed they were trying to conduct experiments on manipulating variables to open the same crack, and the experiment that had seemed impossible was a success.
To think they successfully reopened a crack that had been closed in the past.
It was something Telos Corporation had barely managed to succeed in after inviting Doctor Newgate and spending a fortune on development and research, all accomplished just by people.
“That’s really impressive!”
An Young-eun exclaimed in pure admiration.
However, they couldn’t just sit in awe.
“However, the readings on the magic detection device are abnormal. In my opinion, it looks like at least an A-rank crack. Ye-rim, it’s too dangerous to just keep watching like this—”
“An A-rank crack…!?”
Seo Ye-rim was watching Haildo’s strange experiment from a distance.
If a strong magic user like herself were to be nearby, it would create too great of a variable and disrupt the experiment.
But if a crack like that possessed at least an A-rank danger level, their position had changed.
“Everyone, move aside! This is now under the jurisdiction of S Rank Awakened Seo Ye-rim! Move aside!”
Seo Ye-rim approached the crack directly.
Fortunately, she was a celebrity, and everyone recognized her, complying with her orders.
Zuuung—.
As soon as she entered the crack, she was met with a scene of a cold snowstorm. Of course, a mere snowstorm was nothing that would hinder Seo Ye-rim.
Bang—.
Seo Ye-rim released her magic, raising the temperature around her.
The snow and glaciers quickly began to melt.
S Rank Awakened Seo Ye-rim advanced into the crack, altering the surrounding climate, and finally spotted Haildo fighting a 4-meter monster.
“A troll? No, it’s larger and has skin like ice. It’s definitely at least an A-rank magical beast. Haildo, who had been a D-rank for years, is holding his own against an A-rank monster?”
It was astonishing.
Though she had the urge to watch the fight, the crack was not a playground; it was a place where one had to gamble their life.
Thinking it best to eliminate the danger first, Seo Ye-rim raised the temperature of her magic.
“Divine Heat, Overheating Hell.”
The ice monster began to melt in the face of Seo Ye-rim’s magical output as if a snowman under the summer sun. It shrank visibly, ultimately leaving behind just a small blue orb.
“That was easy.”
S Rank Awakened ones were like natural disasters.
The claim that one could alter the nearby terrain and climate single-handedly was no joke.
“How cowardly.”
The Troll King Kuris, who had been such a struggle for her.
That monstrous creature melted and collapsed on the ground as if it had been accidentally placed in a refrigerator by a convenience store clerk.
It was all because of Seo Ye-rim’s appearance.
Even Lee Jin-A, who had been preparing for death until just now, looked somewhat dazed.
“So, this is what an S Rank Awakened is like. It feels like a fallen sun.”
It must have been a daunting realization.
She must be feeling whether hard work could really lead to that level—just as Seo Ye-rim did.
But now was not the time for introspection; there were things to be done first.
I looked at the ground and said,
“So, it’s completely down? When I assessed it, it seemed like something like a Heartland core was regenerating its body. Is that this orb?”
Zuuung—!
At that moment, the core-like object from the Troll King rose into the air. Feeling an ominous premonition, I swung the beam saber in my hand and sliced at the core.
“Divine Blade—!!!!”
Fully exerting my strength to slice through thick metal like paper.
A technique I had named after my favorite character from the past.
Zuuung, Chwaaaaak—!
That single cut cleaved through the orb.
The wounded orb dropped to the ground with a thud.
No more ominous magical energy could be felt.
It seemed that the situation was genuinely over.
I let out a sigh of relief.
“Seo Ye-rim, there’s a lot to say, but thank you for saving me. It was a dangerous situation. Did you see that monster? That was the Troll King. It must have been at least an A-rank.”
“I have a lot to say too, but first, I’m glad you guys look safe. You held up well against a pair of C-ranks? By the way, did you just name your finishing move? Wow, what the—”
As she spoke, Seo Ye-rim looked around.
“Anyway, what’s this place?”
Stairs and stone structures that had been buried under the glacier began to appear, revealing a beautiful green field beneath the raging snowstorm.
It was hard to believe this place had been extremely dangerous just moments ago. It felt almost breathtakingly beautiful.
How much steadiness must inhering one person like Seo Ye-rim bring to the world?
This is what the hero I dreamed of felt like.
Indeed, one must have strength.
Kuuk—.
As I clenched my fist in disappointment, Lee Jin-A asked.
“So, how do we get out? The exit is already closed.”
She was right.
The exit was already shut.
While Lee Jin-A seemed flustered, the fact was that defeating the Troll King meant we wouldn’t have to worry about the exit too much now.
“That Ice Water Nymph Coris said that the Troll King was guarding the exit, so we couldn’t escape the temple. There seems to be a fixed exit for this crack.”
That might not be the case, though.
We thought it better to act rather than sit still, so we explored the now melted temple.
Surprisingly, it was a magnificent structure, and after a while of searching, we found the exit in what could be described as the center.
It looked somewhat peculiar, though.
It was a door.
Made of stone, its center was jet black, and it was impossible to tell where it connected to.
Seo Ye-rim frowned at the sight.
“Where could this be connected? If it’s a door that leads to the depths of the Pacific Ocean, we’ll really be in trouble.”
“Wait a moment.”
I had prepared some equipment for such situations.
Swoosh—.
I pulled out a drone from my waist.
It was a reconnaissance drone specially created by Osa Group.
“A drone? Hey, Haildo! What kind of equipment did a broke guy like you buy so much? So, that’s why you’ve been short on cash!”
Seo Ye-rim chided me.
As she said, I had spent a lot on various pieces of equipment. Feeling that my internal mana was not growing, I thought maybe I could improve with hardware—so I had bought quite a bit.
And the reconnaissance drone was quite usable.
“This drone is designed to withstand the rebound of a crack. It operates without a hitch up to A-rank cracks. If I insert this into the door—”
Whoooosh—.
The drone took off.
The camera attached to it displayed the footage on the screen of the remote that was about the size of a phone.
Whoooosh—.
Finally, the drone entered the black door.
What appeared inside was—
“A room?”
It was a chamber made entirely of stone walls. It seemed to be about the size of my one-room apartment, a cubical structure with no windows, feeling rather bizarre.
“I think we need to check it out in person.”
I stepped into the black door.
Zuuung—.
Withdrawing my beam saber, the room brightened immediately.
Then, I saw the drawings painted on the walls.
It illustrated a scene where long-eared humans were shaking hands with short, pointed-eared humans. Just as I thought they looked like elves and nymphs, Lee Jin-A frowned.
“It seems what Kuris was guarding wasn’t the exit.”
So, what should we do now?
Are we really trapped here?
Just then, Seo Ye-rim spoke.
“My friend Young-eun will open the crack soon. Doctor Newgate developed a technology to open dimensional rifts by tracking bio-waves. She must have installed and activated it by now.”
Zuuuuuuun—.
Right then.
Indeed, a small portal appeared nearby Seo Ye-rim.
It was a portal large enough for one person to pass through.
“See?”
“Goodness, how far has technology advanced?”
# # #
We returned in front of the main stationery store.
No one was injured, and no one was left behind.
In many ways, it could be considered a great success.
I looked at the mechanical device installed in front of the stationery store.
It resembled a mirror, crackling as if electric currents flowed through it, taking the form of a door.
“It’s really fascinating.”
As I admired it, my secretary An Young-eun spoke.
“It’s a device made by Doctor Newgate in collaboration with the elves. Its name is ‘Bifrost,’ and this technology will be key in the 5th Industrial Revolution. Isn’t it amazing? Do you know how much one of these costs?”
It was indeed amazing.
I had no idea how it worked.
Just then.
Coris, the Ice Water Nymph, shouted from among the people.
“That door is similar to the one the long-eared fairies showed to the native nymphs when they came! Ever since the elves arrived, a cold winter has set in, and it has been truly hard…!”
Elves visited the nymphs?
I wondered what that meant, but considering how in the 21st century cracks opened and elves appeared, it seemed worth pondering in many ways.
Anyway.
I was exhausted.
I collapsed onto the ground.
The events that had just transpired started to replay in my mind, bringing back the truly perilous moments.
It was a miracle that I survived.
At the same time, I felt very regretful.
Because my strength was so lacking. What would have happened to Lee Jin-A and me if Seo Ye-rim hadn’t appeared?
Ugh—.
To be honest, I was frustrated.
I realized I hadn’t even made it to the starting line compared to the real ones.
# # #
“I have gathered sufficient experimental data. Doctor Newgate wanted to experiment on-site. We’re really one step closer to the commercialization of Bifrost.”
An Young-eun looked very pleased as she observed the recovered equipment.
With this crack experiment, Telos Corporation was only left to stand tall among the megacorps of the 5th Industrial Revolution.
However, Seo Ye-rim’s expression was not good.
“…….”
“Ye-rim, why? Is it because of almost getting trapped in the crack?”
“Ah? No, look at this. This is the Troll King’s core. It’s the core of the Troll King. You have to damage this to defeat it. It’s also pretty solid. I tried to melt it at 2000 degrees, but it didn’t even budge.”
“Really!? 2000 degrees is enough heat to injure even ordinary A-rank monsters. That orb has that kind of durability? You really took down such a monster? You’re amazing, Seo Ye-rim.”
“I didn’t take it down. Haildo swung the beam saber and cut this big chunk off.”
Seo Ye-rim recalled the earlier events.
When the orb had begun to glow blue and seemed about to trigger some strange phenomenon, Haildo quickly sliced it, rendering it powerless and causing it to drop to the ground.
Hearing this, An Young-eun was greatly surprised.
“A C-rank Awakened momentarily displayed the destructive power of an A-rank Awakened? Is Osa Group’s beam saber that powerful? Isn’t that really dangerous? Such technological prowess from Osa—”
Inside Telos Group’s development lab.
While An Young-eun worried about the corporate conflicts, Seo Ye-rim gazed out at the brightly lit skyline of Makcheon City.
“Is the beam saber really that good, or is—”
Seo Ye-rim didn’t voice the second possibility.
“Perhaps, even if I hadn’t appeared, he might have been able to defeat it.”
