CH 318

Ten days had passed since the museum was covered in an unknown veil.

The country, realizing the seriousness of the problem late, set up a base camp around the museum and sent related experts, but the progress of the situation was still slow.

Choi Mi-jin and Lee Soo-jin from the guild management headquarters even filmed a video of the inside of the veil, but nothing changed. No one could figure out how to destroy the egg-shaped gem that could be the cause of the veil.

“Soo-yeon-ah.”

Hong Si-ah approached Cha Soo-yeon, who was looking at the veiled art museum with a haggard face.

When Hong Si-ah wrapped her shoulders with her sad face, Cha Soo-yeon slowly embraced her and asked with a cracked voice.

“Will everyone be okay?”

“Of course. Let’s wait a little longer. There will be some way to save them.”

It took a long time to comfort Cha Soo-yeon, who was drying up day by day, but Hong Si-ah was also very anxious, just like her.

It had been ten days already, the veil was still there and the situation hadn’t changed. By all means, there must be some good news tomorrow.

It was cold and gloomy to the point where the bones were ached in the blue light of dawn. While holding Cha Soo-yeon and patting her back for a while, a familiar car entered the base camp.

“Center Head Choi Mi-jin?”

“You were awake. It just happens.”

It was Choi Mi-jin, who visited the art museum a few days ago. Choi Mi-jin, who got off the back seat, greeted Hong Si-ah and Cha Soo-yeon with eyes and then introduced the person who got off after her.

“This is a producer from America. As soon as he arrived in Korea, we came here right away.”

“Hello. My name is Edward.”

A little boy with blonde hair followed Choi Mi-jin’s explanation and introduced himself. Edward shook hands with Hong Si-ah with a youthful face.

An American producer came directly to Korea. Hong Si-ah, who immediately noticed Edward’s purpose, asked.

“Nice to meet you, Producer Edward. As soon as you arrived in Korea, you came here… do you have any idea how to solve that veil?”

“For now.”

Edward with a bitter expression answered Hong Si-ah’s question.

“I have read all the data that investigated the veil. Even as me, who has been traveling the world and looking at many items, it’s difficult to be certain of which item made the veil.”

“Is that so?”

“But it’s too early to give up.”

As Edward tapped the jewel in the ring, something appeared in the air. It was an item modeled after a small white bird.

“This…”

“This item was made to remove that veil.”

The bird on Edward’s hand raised its head, blinking its eyes. The plastic exterior and squeaky movements were quite crude, making it look more like a children’s toy than an item.

“This… can remove that veil?”

“Soo-yeon-ah.”

Cha Soo-yeon, who had a suspicious expression on her face without realizing it, came to her senses at Hong Si-ah’s call.

“…I’m sorry.”

Edward smiled softly, shaking his head as if he was okay with Cha Soo-yeon, who bit her lip and apologized.

“No. I understand. It looks very lame, doesn’t it? I didn’t have enough time to make it… In a situation like this, I didn’t want to take my time and focus on what come out.”

“Even if it looks lame, the energy inside isn’t weak.”

“As expected, you notice right away.”

Edward’s eyes, petting the bird, were filled with complex emotions.

“This kid wasn’t made by me alone. I got help from someone else. The energy you feel is his.”

That was the reason why the bird originally intended to be black was made white. Because the item he made was useless unless the energy contained within it.

“Everything has to be paid for as much as you earnestly do it.”

He remembered the man who gave him energy. A man with strong energy who came to visit Han Yi-gyeol when he was staying in the Athena Guild.

Chloe had informed him that he was a person with energy as white as his long, pure white hair. It was so clean, she said, that it was the kind of energy that provoked an instinctive repulsion.

“I want to go in myself, but…”

Instead of continuing his words, the man gave his energy to Edward.

Compared to his original energy, it was as small as a grain of sand, but that alone surpassed the energy of an S-rank. Edward had to struggle for days and nights just to put his energy into the item.

‘Please succeed.’

Edward looked down nervously at the bird he had made and stretched his arms upwards. Then the bird spread its wings.

Carrying everyone’s earnest wishes on its back, the bird flew toward the veil.

‘Han Yi-gyeol-ssi.’

I hope the item can break that veil and rescue those trapped inside the museum. I hope you know that there are people out there trying to help you…

The bird, which approached the veil, cried high and went inside without hesitation. About 30 seconds after the bird disappeared, a white light flashed and an explosion occurred inside the veil.

“That…?”

“A light that will destroy the gem that created the veil.”

Fortunately, the bird moved it exactly as Edward had designed it.

When the item exploded in the center of the veil, the energy of light contained within would fill the veil… It would inflict a strong blow to the gem soon.

Pajijik, pajik!

As soon as Edward finished explaining, the veil shook violently and the surface began to crack.

* * *

As if protecting the weak A-rank energy, the SS-rank energy surrounded by the heart removed all debuffs. After I was released from paralysis and drooped, Ha Tae-heon touched my cheek.

“Han Yi-gyeol, are you okay?”

“Yes…”

There was no strength in my body, but my condition was much better than before. I was hugged by Ha Tae-heon and pulled up without blocking Han Yi-gyeol’s energy that revealed my presence.

/“What, how did that bastard wake up?”/

When I heard Abel’s bewildered voice, my energy swelled even faster. Many times colder energy than Ha Tae-heon’s energy that had just entered my body, overflowed out of my heart.

“Kuk…!”

I gritted my teeth and endured the strange sensations and pains that were changing in my body.

The size of the hand held by Ha Tae-heon suddenly grew bigger and a scar was engraved as the clothes that had been loosen were gradually fitting in.

When I returned to Kwon Se-hyun, I opened my eyes that had been closed all the time. As soon as I blinked, my blurred vision cleared up and I could clearly see Ha Tae-heon’s face, who was looking down at me with a worried expression.

“Please help me get up.”

After receiving the SS-rank energy, I immediately changed into Kwon Se-hyun, so I didn’t have any strength in my body. Ha Tae-heon, who heard my request, supported me after wiping away the tears that flowed down my temple.

/”Ha… haha, hahaha! Ah, I’m going crazy!”/

Abel, who found me hidden behind Ha Tae-heon’s body, laughed madly from somewhere beyond the darkness.

/“Look at this energy! I thought it was an A-rank bug, but it turned out to be an out-of-class talented person?”/

“……”

/“Is this the hidden card you were hiding? Indeed, that’s why you’ve got the courage to come to us.”/

Yeah, let her laugh a lot. Raising the corners of my lips forcibly, I turned my attention to Cheon Sa-yeon, who was dealing with the team members.

Cheon Sa-yeon, who had dealt with five talented people who could neither kill nor injure them at the same time, had wounds here and there, and his clothes were soaked in blood as if he had been injured on his side. On the other hand, the team members who were forced to move while unconscious weren’t hurt.

I was very sorry for entrusting this terrible work to Cheon Sa-yeon. I immediately used my intervention ability with my energy.

Just like when we fought with Doctor, the thread of energy running over the team members’ heads was clearly visible. However, unlike the last time, the colour of the thread was stained red as if it had been stained with blood.

‘Kali’s blood.’

It was proof that it wasn’t just the mental control that led to Samael’s energy. As I waved my hand to cut the thread, I moaned at the sharp pain passing through my heart.

“Ugh!”

It was the pain caused by the collision between the power of Kali’s blood and my intervention ability. I clenched my teeth, drew more energy from my heart, and shook my hand again.

Kkigigik! I felt like I could hear the sound of a thread being pulled tight breaking. The team members, who were released from mental control, fell to the ground at the same time as the energy was cut off.

/“Hu-hung, is this your ability?”/

Abel, who watched the scene, muttered in an irritated tone.

/“Is it because of you that Doctor died? You were the rat who interrupted me at the D45 Area gate!”/

“Yeah.”

Taking a deep breath, which was rough in pain, I answered in the most calm manner possible.

“Come down, Abel. I will kill you just like your colleagues.”

/“Haha, you are so confident.”/

Abel exclaimed as if she was having fun.

/“Do you think it will be over if you just cut off mental control? You guys are destined to be left behind in that space. Together with the bugs that came to the art museum without knowing it!”/

A wide-ranging sound of laughter filled with malicious intent reverberated throughout. As I listened to it, I slowly closed my eyes and raised my head.

Unlike Han Yi-gyeol, who was an A-rank, my energy still a lot left. Abel found out anyway, so there was no need to hide my intervention ability any longer.

The more I used my energy, the more my vision, which had been limited around me, was constantly expanding. Since it wasn’t reality, a created space, everything around me became an object that could be used for intervention.

A thread of orange energy was felt in the midst of the dozens of people who had been mentally controlled. Countless orange threads connected to the doll were connected beyond the space.

‘The thread of that energy is…’

It was the source of Abel’s ability to manipulate dolls. When I found the target, the energy flowing out of my body became stronger than ever. Using the strong energy I had created, I cut hundreds of Samael’s and Abel’s threads.

Kugugung!

A roar similar to the sound of the thunder erupted from beyond the space, breaking Abel’s ridicule laughter that had been disturbing my mind. Feeling the cold sweat running down my chin, I smiled contentedly with a fresh heart.

“It’s quiet now.”

I cut everything off, so from now on, Abel could neither see nor mock us. No matter how much we were in the space they had created.