204 - Epilogue (4)

204 - Epilogue (4)

TL/Editor: looloo

Schedule: 5/Week Mon-Fri

Illustrations: Here

join the discord! Here

After freeing the people imprisoned in the cell, Han Ari took a moment to survey her surroundings. Something felt off—too off. Even if this was the base of those who had kidnapped her, the security wasn't very tight.

"I'm Han Ari, a student from Rokia Academy. Could you all stay here and pretend to be imprisoned for a bit? I'll be right back."

Han Ari spoke to the twelve people who had been imprisoned and cautiously approached the door. She pressed her ear against it, checking for any sounds of guards, and then carefully opened it.

As she had suspected, there were no villains on guard, which only heightened her sense of unease. She recalled the words of the villain she overheard earlier.

-This is a place no one will find.

Did they really think no one would discover this place? Or were they so confident that no one could escape?

Not knowing the way out, Han Ari couldn't take the imprisoned people with her just yet. She needed to find an escape route first, so she quietly began to explore the surroundings.

After walking for about ten minutes, Han Ari's face grew serious as she realized something.

"The path..."

The corridor she was in was wide and made of gray walls. After walking for a while, she noticed that the path was structured like a maze.

"How...?"

Moreover, she didn't see any villains who might be waiting. If this was really their hideout, she expected to see at least a few.

"No way?!"

As complicated thoughts swirled in her mind, a realization struck her. Han Ari quickly raised her hammer horizontally and placed it against the wall.

"Grow longer."

With those words, the handle of the hammer began to extend, pushing through the narrow passage with a crunching sound until it broke through the wall and continued to extend.

When the hammer finally reached the end of the space, Han Ari approached the hole it had made.

And, as she had feared...

"......"

Seeing what lay beyond the wall made Han Ari's face harden. Outside the space was nothing but a vast black abyss.

Han Ari knew this kind of space.

A dimensional space.

It was a personal space created by a mage of great power.

"Ugh!"

The moment she realized where she was, a flood of thoughts overwhelmed Han Ari. First was a sense of futility, then fear. Since this was a dimensional space created by someone, she couldn't leave without the owner's permission.

In other words, she was completely trapped.

And as that thought struck her, she heard a loud thudding sound from behind her. Something massive was approaching, shaking the ground with each step.

As she turned to look, Han Ari saw...

"Growl!"

"......"

A giant black-furred beast, drooling, stared down at her.

---

Raei Translations

---

"Do you know about the Liberation Army, hero?"

"And what's that?"

Meanwhile, after confirming that Han Ari had disappeared, Hajoon went straight to the Hero Association to gather information. Kim Jeongyong, the head of the association, was explaining what he had learned about Valonte to Hajoon.

"They share a similar ideology with the Villain Alliance but are an even older group. They're an extremist group that emerged after the chaos period ended and society stabilized, following the passage of laws to limit the use of superhuman powers. While the group originated 30 years ago and has since become something of a rumor, some experts believe they have their base beyond a dimensional space."

"And what does that have to do with Valonte?"

"It's just a theory, but our association believes that Valonte is part of the Liberation Army."

He spoke with a grave expression, looking intently at Hajoon.

Hajoon scratched his cheek and spoke to Kim Jeongyong.

"So, you're saying that their hideout is beyond a dimensional space, making it difficult to find?"

With a troubled expression, Kim Jeongyong slowly nodded.

The old man chuckled and replied, "I'm the master of this space. I came to see how you would die after escaping the prison, but you've nearly exterminated the maze beasts. It's bothersome to replenish them, so I came myself."

Han Ari readied herself to charge at the old man. But before he could move, the two men beside him started to approach her.

The old man left her with one last remark. "Well, there's nothing more to say to a corpse. Die peacefully. You're lucky. It's better to die by a human hand than suffer at the Black Hounds."

Han Ari ground her teeth. The men approaching her and the old man were no ordinary superhumans. If he was the master of this dimensional space, he had to be a mage of the highest caliber.

‘I have to run.’

She couldn't fight them. She had to escape. She needed to hold out until help arrived.

As she thought this, suddenly...

Whoosh!

The two men who had been approaching her moved at an invisible speed and were now right in front of her. They swung their massive fists at her.

In that split second, one word flashed through Han Ari's mind.

‘I'm going to die.’

The moment their fists connected, she knew she would die. But before she could react, it was too late. She squeezed her eyes shut, unable to avoid the oncoming blows.

But then...

Crash! Boom!!

"Argh!!"

"Ugh!!"

The sound of something breaking and collapsing, along with the screams of the two men, reached Han Ari's ears.

As the sound reached her ears, Han Ari slowly opened her eyes to assess the situation. The moment she saw what had happened, her eyes widened in shock.

"A hammer..."

In front of her was a golden hammer, more massive and radiant than her own, which had smashed through the wall and knocked down the two men.

Then, from beyond the broken wall, a familiar voice rang out.

"Looks like we found the right place, Philaten."

-As long as there's a trace of magic, finding it, even in a dimensional space, isn't too difficult.

Step by step, the voice grew closer. When the owner of the voice finally appeared, Han Ari was stunned, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Mister..."

"Oh! Found you. Good to see you're in one piece."

Standing beyond the broken wall was a very familiar man, smiling gently. Han Ari instinctively ran toward Hajoon, wanting to embrace him.

But Hajoon extended his hand to stop her.

"Wait, hold on."

"Ugh!! Mister!!"

"Don't come closer, you're covered in blood."

"...Grr!"

Han Ari's tears stopped in an instant. She wiped her tears with her sleeve, glaring at Hajoon as if annoyed. Hajoon chuckled and approached her, placing a hand gently on her head.

"Good job. Now you can rest."

Relief washed over Han Ari, and she felt tears welling up again.

Hajoon turned away and reached out for Maharazu. The hammer, returning to its original size, flew into his hand, leaving Han Ari staring in awe.

‘No way, the mister is...’

Could he really be the Irregular?

Embarrassment flooded Han Ari as she recalled how she had treated him, her face turning red.

"Alright then."

Hajoon turned his gaze toward the old man, who had been hidden by Maharazu. The old man, trembling, stared at Hajoon in shock.

"Irregular?!"

How could he be here? This was his dimensional space. No one should be able to break through it. But how...?

The old man's mind was a whirlwind of confusion. Hajoon, however, had no intention of waiting for the old man to sort his thoughts.

"Surrender, or get beaten to a pulp."

Hajoon rested Maharazu on his shoulder as he addressed the old man.

---