CH 78

After the agreement was over, Ha Tae-heon began to attract the attention of the monster so that Hong Si-ah could safely reach the underground entrance.

‘Complicated.’ (까다롭다)

I bit my lip looking at Ha Tae-heon, who could not easily attack properly even while approaching the monster’s nose and wielding a sword. I was worried. Like before, I’m afraid that it would cause injuries to those caught after inflicting fatal damage to the monster like before.

There was no way Hong Si-ah could not be ignorant of Ha Tae-heon’s movement that I had noticed. Hong Si-ah, who was dealing with the monster with a serious face without a smile, moved slowly to prevent the monster from noticing it.

Kuuaaak!

When Ha Tae-heon and Hong Si-ah alternately touched it, the monster roared with anger and slammed the floor with both arms. Hong Si-ah quickly escaped the monster’s gaze and moved downwards at the rougher movement.

Hong Si-ah, who flew to the front of the stairs without hesitation, looked back at Ha Tae-heon and sent a warning to be careful. I nodded my head and recovered my ability that had been wrapped around her. Hong Si-ah, who landed on the ground with agile movements, went down the stairs before the monster noticed.

Half of the operation was successful just because Hong Si-ah went down safely underground.

‘Now the question is how to endure…’

Unless Hong Si-ah handled the tentacles, she still couldn’t attack the monster. Until then, she had to keep fighting with the monster.

I called Ha Tae-heon, who barely avoided the monster’s attack.

“Ha Tae-heon-ssi, move with me!”

Since there was no Hong Si-ah, it was much better to move in the arms of Ha Tae-heon as I did. Ha Tae-heon seemed to ponder for a moment at my call then came towards me.

Since I was floating in the air, I looked up and stretched out my arms to hug Ha Tae-heon, who was in a higher place than usual. Ha Tae-heon, who was trying to naturally grab my waist, stopped with a strange expression for a moment.

“……”

“Ha Tae-heon-ssi?”

What’s wrong with you? When I looked at Ha Tae-heon, who didn’t pull me, he kept his mouth shut and met my gaze.

“What? If any problem…”

“No.”

To the extent that it was strange that he hesitated, Ha Tae-heon firmly embraced my body. I wrapped my arms around Ha Tae-heon’s neck and took a comfortable position.

“I can’t attack anyway, so I’ll make it easier to dodge.”

The strength of the wind had been increased so that it could move at a higher speed. Haaaak! As the monster roared, like before, lightning struck everywhere.

Black smoke rose from the tree-studded with lightning. Below, it was filled with trees blazing with lightning strikes.

Kiiiik!

The monster made a bizarre cry and spread its split face like petals. Then it put its hand in the centre.

Clack, clack.

A strange liquid dripped from the monster’s face, which swallowed its hand deeply. Frowning at the disgusting sight, the monster slowly pulled out its hand. It was a new sword that was soaked in the black liquid.

A monster with a sword of a size similar to that which had been shattered swung its arms wide. Huung, I said to Ha Tae-heon as he flew away from the giant sword passing over his head.

“I think it would be better to smash the black like before.”

Raising the sword greatly expanded the attack radius of the monster. More than simply swinging its arms, the patterns also varied, making it difficult to avoid.

Ha Tae-heon, who nodded his head at my words, blocked the sword coming to the side. There was a disgusting smell with a creepy sound as the blades clashed with each other.

“Ugh…”

The liquid on the monster sword was the cause. It was the monster’s blood that had a bad effect on Hong Si-ah as well as a debuff ability.

My eyes clouded, I felt dizzy, and my energy shook greatly.

“Han Yi-gyeol!”

When the wind stopped for a moment, Ha Tae-heon and I fell. I hastily used my ability again, but didn’t create a strong wind like before.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t know it would be like this.”

“Keep covering with my coat.”

My tongue hardened and my pronunciation was muffled. I apologized and did not take his coat sleeves off my face as Ha Tae-heon said.

In the meantime, the monster continued to swing the sword. Each time the black liquid splashed nearby, the stinging pain continued, like a needle being pierced into the skin.

“Ha, Tae-heon-ssi.”

I moved my slightly loose tongue and pointed at the mirror. Someone moved in the mirror reflecting the attendees. It was Hong Si-ah.

“I think the underground was right.”

“Fortunately. Just hold on a little longer…”

I breathed a sigh of relief. If Hong Si-ah just cut off the tentacles that were stuck in the participants, she would immediately kill the monster…

Kkiiiiik—!

That was then. As Hong Si-ah reflected in the mirror, the monster roared longer and wildly than ever before, puffing up its chest. Alas, its four-pronged torn face opened wide and its whole body turned black.

“What is this…!”

The black light that spread rapidly through the monster’s skin changed even the tentacles. Inside the opaque tentacles, a black liquid filled up and bulged as if it was about to burst.

I looked in the mirror reflexively in fear of chills. Hong Si-ah, not aware of this situation, was approaching its tentacles. I then screamed at the whip that swung without hesitation.

“No!”

As the bright red whip crossed the tentacles, black liquid gushed out of the severed tentacles. Hong Si-ah, facing the liquid in front of her nose, twisted her body and fell to her floor. Ha Tae-heon, who was looking in the mirror while avoiding the lightning, frowned.

An opaque liquid dripped from the severed tentacles, from which all black blood had escaped, onto the fainting Hong Si-ah. It wrapped around Hong Si-ah like a drop of water and turned into a round egg, and like the others, it completely engulfed Hong Si-ah.

“That’s worst.”

Ha Tae-heon slashed the monster’s sword and muttered in an annoying voice. I closed my eyes and coughed. I felt that my condition was getting worse.

No matter how much I covered my mouth and nose with his coat, I could not block all the debuff ability. To make matters worse, as I used my ability for a long time, my energy gradually began to bottom out. I thought as I felt the vibration of the bracelet on my wrist.

‘What should I do now?’

Now that even Hong Si-ah was caught, the two of me and Ha Tae-heon had to solve the situation.

There was a way to go back the way I came and bring Cheon Sa-yeon, but in the meantime, I did not know what would happen to those trapped in the egg.

‘Then what’s left…’

I calmly gathered my thoughts and bowed my head slightly. Cold sweat ran down my cheeks.

“…Ha Tae-heon-ssi.”

I loosened my arms around his neck and put them on his shoulder.

“It can’t be like this.”

“……”

“I will be the bait. This time, Ha Tae-heon-ssi, please go to the underground.”

“Don’t say nonsense.”

Ha Tae-heon’s reply was quick, not knowing what I was going to say.

“There is no other way. You know.”

“It is S+ grade. You can’t stand it alone.”

“No, I’ll hold out as much as I can.”

I touched my heart. Due to the debuff ability of the monster, the energy surrounding the heart was stiff and did not move properly. Feeling extremely tired, I continued.

“If you keep going like this, things will only get worse. No one can save them, and in the end, it could endanger even us. You know you have to make decisions coolly.”

“……”

The sword slid slowly over my head. Ha Tae-heon’s eyes filled up with anxiety.

It wasn’t that I didn’t know Ha Tae-heon’s feelings. He now put the attendees and me on the scale and had to choose who was more important.

I deliberately and resolutely got out of Ha Tae-heon’s arms. When I lifted my body, my energy was doubled and I started to get headaches.

“Go. If Ha Tae-heon-ssi really cares about me, all you have to do now is save the people as soon as possible and get back.”

Ha Tae-heon, who was staring at me with his terrifyingly stiff face, turned his gaze and looked in the mirror. Hong Si-ah, Kim Na-yul, and Lee Joo-ha, who were trapped in an egg while losing their minds, finally he nodded his head.

“…I’ll come right away after saving them.”

Yeah. This is how you become the protagonist.

I was genuinely relieved and smiled at him.

“I’m amazing at running away. I will endure it no matter what, so trust me and go.”

Ha Tae-heon, who had hesitated for an answer, quickly turned his back. From now on, I had to perfectly capture the attention of the monster so that he could safely go to the underground behind it.

I climbed high and stood in front of the monster. As we split into two, the monster that attacked me at random, as if confused, saw me and cried sharply as if alerting me.

Haaaak!

With a deep smile, I lifted my energy up once more. The fallen trees that filled the ground rose to where I was.

Ha Tae-heon couldn’t attack because he could directly damage the monster, but my situation was different. Even if I attacked for a hundred days with my A-rank ability, I wouldn’t be able to leave a single wound on an S+-grade monster. So it was better. It was the best condition to attract attention without any injuries.

“Come on~ look here.”

The trees that were raised were thrown at the monster. The monster, who was suddenly hit by a tree, roared in annoyance. Dodging the hand of the monster approaching at high speed to snatch me, I attacked by making the wind as sharp as a blade this time. Even if it was orthodox, no traces were left.

If I were to compare my appearance now, would I be like a mosquito? Using the widest space as much as possible, I calmly avoided the attack. Huung, the monster’s sword that passed right next to my ear cut my hair slightly.

“Ugh!”

The stench emanating from the sword made me dizzy. I clenched my teeth, cleared my mind, and bent down to avoid the next attack. Meanwhile, Ha Tae-heon, who safely moved behind the monster, went to the underground.

As soon as I confirmed that Ha Tae-heon had gone down safely, I immediately cut off the wind that surrounded him. That alone made me a little out of breath.

Kieeeek!

Perhaps it noticed that Ha Tae-heon had gone down to the underground, the monster inflated its chest like before. Huu, I let out a rough breath and raised the corners of my lips to laugh. It won’t work this time. Because the debuff ability of S+ grade did not work on SS-rank Ha Tae-heon.

I think it was a good thing to let him go, but this time the monster bent its back and opened up the cleaved flesh of its face as much as possible. An ominous feeling ran up the back of my back. Just as I was about to hurriedly pull back, the monster blew out thick smoke from its face.

“…cough, cough!”

The black smoke emitted at a tremendous speed spread all around. I was trapped in the smoke and couldn’t get out, I spit out a cough that rose through my throat. My body felt like I was drunk. The debuff smoke that I inhaled made my energy harder than ever before, so I couldn’t use my ability at will.

I turned my stiff head forcibly and looked at the hand of the monster approaching quickly.

“Ah, this…”

It’s been fucked up.

Coughing, my eyes turned round and round at the same time as a strong shock of shaking the goal.