Chapter 208

Chapter 208. A Strange Battle (3)

[Doused by the sunlight blessed by administrators, low-level abnormal status effects are completely cured.][A total of six ‘Lv.2 Banshee’s Curse’ have been cured.][All stats slowly recover.][Challenge, Sweetness After Bitterness, complete – Player who has endured the banshee’s curse the longest][Increases the magic power stat by 0.5 points and infuses magic power with the power of undead.]

…The artificial sun radiated a warm light and adorned the sky with blue clothes. The sunlight undulating in the sky soon descended to the earth and enveloped Jin Sahyuk’s cold body. The warmth cleansed the curse on her body and blessed her with a special reward for all her suffering.

She really did suffer painfully for months. There wasn’t any other time in her life that she had cried or been weakened so much. It made her realize that she was, in the end, human.As such, she should certainly be happy that she was able to overcome the curse today.

However, happiness was the farthest emotion in Jin Sahyuk’s current state. Currently, she couldn’t even move her body as it refused to listen to her brain.She felt herself wither up due to the heavy tension that made her breathless.

“….”

The sudden silence from the man made her feel as though she was walking on thin ice.Jin Sahyuk wet her dried lips with her tongue.‘Should I turn around? Should I?’ After debating for a long time, she finally came to a decision. She glanced to the side. Her eyes narrowed as she chased Kim Hajin’s figure.

“Wow….”

He was staring at the sun in a daze. He had a stupid, thoughtless expression as he simply observed the scenery.

In that instant, Jin Sahyuk felt her rage explode both inwardly and outwardly.

‘Am I really scared of someone like him? Just when did I get so weak?’

With the powerful rage, she forcibly moved her body. Her fingers and joints began to listen to her command. It was a good sign.

“Oi.”

Just as the tip of her finger was about to move, Kim Hajin turned and faced her.He glared at her with his sharp, wolf-like eyes.Her body froze once again. The best she could do now was keep her eyes on him. Even then, she wasn’t sure whether it was courage or fear that kept her from averting her gaze.

“Do you have a ‘resistance’ special stat?”

Kim Hajin asked. Jin Sahyuk didn’t answer.

“Do you, or do you not?”

“….”

“Answer?”

Kim Hajin pressed for an answer.

“You’re not going to answer me? Three, two, one—”

“…I do.”

She only found out recently, but a special stat called ‘inhumane resistance’ indeed manifested. It must have been because she refused to give up under the torture of the banshee’s curse.

“Mm, I see.”

Kim Hajin grinned, then put more strength into the arm wrapped around her shoulders. From a third-person’s point of view, they looked just like close friends.Jin Sahyuk was disgusted by this whole situation. Even so, she didn’t resist him. She clenched her teeth, raised the magic power inside her, and muttered inwardly, ‘If you get any closer, I’ll cut out your heart….’Then suddenly, a dry and cold voice entered her ears.

“Looks like I’ll have to kill her now.”

His blade-like voice carried a genuine killing intent. Goosebumps shot up all over Jin Sahyuk’s body. Even she was surprised by her body’s subconscious reaction. ‘Getting goosebumps’ was not an experience she had often.Ssk—Kim Hajin pulled out a gun from his pocket. The beautifully designed gun let out a sinister sheen as it slowly approached Jin Sahyuk’s neck.Jin Sahyuk watched the muzzle with her eyes.Soon, the coldness of metal touched her skin…

“…Huuk.”

She muttered a breath-stopping sound. At the same time, she was struck with a mental shock.She remembered Kim Hajin who put a vicious curse on his arrow. Did he bring an even more brutal curse? Would she have to go through the past suffering and pain once more?A feeling of terror rose from the depths of her heart. Jin Sahyuk fell into a panic. Her body lost its strength and leaned against Kim Hajin’s body.

“Hmm.”

On the other hand, Kim Hajin had his own worries. Jin Sahyuk didn’t seem to be thinking as she normally would. She wasn’t risking her life to kill him, most likely because of her laughably low stats and loss of confidence.

By killing her here, Kim Hajin knew he would be able to instill a powerful mental conditioning. His existence would become a ‘trauma’ for her and might cause the complete death of ‘Jin Sahyuk’.All he needed to do was move his hand a little.However…

[Warning! Many administrators are watching you. Today, murder is prohibited in Prestige.][Warning! It is recommended that you stop your act of hostility.][Warning! It is strongly recommended that you stop your act of hostility. Otherwise, you will be turning many administrators into your enemies!]

The system even used the phrase ‘strongly recommended’.It seemed today wasn’t that day.Kim Hajin let out a small sigh and put away his Desert Eagle.The coldness of metal disappeared from Jin Sahyuk’s neck, leaving behind only the warmth of the sun.Only then did Jin Sahyuk come to her senses and look up at him.

“I’m proud of you.”

Kim Hajin patted Jin Sahyuk’s head instead of killing her. With emotion, he ruffled her hair. It was so forceful that even Jin Sahyuk’s head began to shake.

“You’re lucky too.”

Jin Sahyuk thought blankly. She was being treated like a dog. She refused to suffer such humiliation. ‘How can such an unhandsome man…’Rage shot up inside her. Jin Sahyuk, for the first time since their encounter, resisted fiercely.

“…Y-You!”

She shook off Kim Hajin’s hand and glared at him.

“You son of a—”

“Talk, and I’ll kill you.”

However, a single sentence from him shut her up once more.Kim Hajin looked at her and smiled brightly.

“I’m letting you go just this one time, so don’t let this dwell in your heart.”

As soon as Kim Hajin said those words, Jin Sahyuk sensed a familiar presence.It was Bell.Jin Sahyuk was relieved. Kim Hajin seemed to have felt it too as he let go of Jin Sahyuk and combed her disheveled hair.

“Alright… I’m leaving now.”

He knocked her head a few times for the final bit of humiliation. Jin Sahyuk kept her mouth shut.However, as though he found it displeasing, he turned his head and looked at her a final time.

“Don’t let me see you again.”

Hearing this, Jin Sahyuk stood blankly for a while before grinning. Now that a trustworthy ally had arrived, she was able to force herself to sneer.

“I thought about it a bit….”

Although her body still creaked from nervousness, Jin Sahyuk managed to eek out some words. She glared at the man who had become her sworn enemy and tried her best to shake off the ‘instilled fear’ inside her.

“What do you plan on doing when you see me outside the Tower?”

Hearing this, Kim Hajin stopped.‘So he’s afraid too.’ Jin Sahyuk guessed as much and tried to feel a self-given sense of superiority. However… Kim Hajin, with only his head turned towards her, smiled chillingly.

“It’ll be the same outside the Tower.”

Although Jin Sahyuk was unable to see it, in front of Kim Hajin’s eyes were system messages that affirmed this statement.

[Unique skill, Lv.8 Clockhand of Fate activates.][You have met the condition to set a target as your ‘Fate’.]—Complete: converse for more than 30 back-and-forths between yourself and a target.[Jin Sahyuk, the ‘Refugee of a Foolish Grudge’, has been added to your ‘Fate Record’.][The condition changes. To set your second Fate, you must perform a different action.]

“If I see you again, you’ll die.”

Those were Kim Hajin’s last words.Jin Sahyuk blanked for a moment.Soon, Bell appeared and put himself between Kim Hajin and Jin Sahyuk.Covered by Bell’s body, Jin Sahyuk was no longer able to see Kim Hajin. Bell eyed Kim Hajin for a moment before turning back to Jin Sahyuk.

“Are you okay, Sahyuk?”

Jin Sahyuk didn’t reply. Her mind and body were both burning with anger. Feeling the rage that seemed to melt her brain and scorch her heart, she vowed to herself: to make Kim Hajin regret letting her go until he coughed out blood, to deliver him the most excruciating pain and suffering.

“I swear on my clan….”

Jin Sahyuk’s voice trembled, perhaps because of overwhelming rage. Yet, she seemed to be crying as tears glistened around her eyes.

**

“Wow….”

On the other hand, on the opposite side of the same floor, Yoo Yeonha watched the rising sun. Even as someone who personally wielded magic power and watched all sorts of magic spells growing up, this scenery filled her with wonder.

The point of the tallest steeple of Medea’s palace filled with the essence of fire, soon becoming an artificial sun that rose up to the sky.It was the kind of beauty that lay outside the realm of normal nature, a miraculous scenery that one could only watch in a stupor.

“…?”

Perhaps because she was too mesmerized by the sun, she only noticed the Player standing next to her after a while.Yoo Yeonha turned her head sideways to the owner of the presence.

“….”

A girl’s blonde hair shone brilliantly under the sunlight. Looking at her beauty that seemed to rival elves, Yoo Yeonha was at a loss for words. The girl, Rachel, bowed to her graciously as royalty would.

“Hello.”

“…Hi.”

Yoo Yeonha nodded. They greeted each other somewhat awkwardly, but this seemingly coincidental meeting was pre-planned. Rachel had sent Yoo Yeonha a friend request along with the following message.

[Hello, Yeonha-ssi! It’s been a while >‿