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It felt like a 2v2 against two Apostles was too much.

Unless they were completely doing their own thing, their teamwork didn’t seem to fall behind Hayan-Gyeoul’s. Their individual skills also didn’t seem lacking…

In fact, it seemed like the 2v2 matchup was more favorable for them.

Just when it felt a bit dangerous.

Thanks to Kim Seo-hyun appearing at Magic Stone Mountain, emotions were mixed.

“…One more annoying person has shown up.”

“This seems a bit dangerous? He looks weaker than those two brats… but stronger than the Hwarangs we’ve fought so far.”

The two Apostles showed reluctance.

Jeong Gyeoul and Lee Ha-yoon saw hope.

“Phew, it’s gotten better.”

“Coming here while emitting magic power, he definitely seems stronger than the Scorpion Instructor.”

“Can he handle that guy alone?”

“At least, it seems like he can buy enough time until we deal with the girl.”

It was the moment the flow of the battle at Magic Stone Mountain changed.

Kim Seo-hyun, who had positioned himself with Jeong Gyeoul and Lee Ha-yoon, seemed to recognize Grid and spoke.

“The guy looks familiar… where have we seen him before?”

“If an old man like you hits on me, it’s a bit gross.”

“…If he’s that crazy, it should be hard to forget, but I can’t seem to recall.”

If he recognized one of the Satan Church’s Apostles, he might be able to track the connections with other Apostles and identify them in advance.

Kim Seo-hyun thought about participating in the interrogation after capturing Grid and looked at Jeong Gyeoul and Lee Ha-yoon.

“Who should I catch?”

As if confident he could handle anyone.

Jeong Gyeoul felt something was off.

‘Looking at his magic power, he’s slightly weaker than that guy… what’s with the confidence?’

Kim Seo-hyun is a first-generation Hero.

He has more combat experience than anyone here.

Except for Kim Yu-shin, he’s the strongest swordsman in the country.

Even if his magic power is lacking, his actual skills aren’t, but Jeong Gyeoul, who still sees magic power as a measure of strength, couldn’t help but be puzzled.

“Those guys seem stronger than they look, are you okay?”

“This old man is stronger than he looks too, don’t worry.”

“Then handle the guy, we’ll finish the girl quickly and join you, don’t die, that’s an order.”

“Haha, at this age, standing on the same battlefield as my grandkid and taking orders, living long sure brings interesting things.”

Watching this, Grid turned his head to Pigrithia and said.

“Can’t we just run away now?”

“Nope, the Cult Leader will scold us.”

“…Isn’t getting scolded better than being captured by the Association?”

“If we don’t get captured or scolded, it’s fine, you coward.”

“Ugh… you’re not just lazy, but stubborn too.”

Grid retorted and sharply increased his magic power.

A completely different, serious attitude compared to when he was dealing with the Hwarangs and the Scorpion Instructor.

On the opposite side, Jeong Gyeoul’s mind was racing with various thoughts.

‘The girl has a thigh injury, let Hayan buy some time and attack the guy with the old man?’

‘But if Hayan gets hurt, it’s a big deal… quickly finish the girl and join the old man?’

‘But if the old man gets hurt, it’s also a big deal… he’s old, recovery will be slow.’

She kept thinking about who to help and who to catch, but…

It seemed best to stick to the initial plan.

‘If things go south, I can just move back and forth between both sides.’

As she finished her thoughts, Kim Seo-hyun and Grid clashed.

Unlike his relaxed demeanor when dealing with the Hwarangs, Grid’s movements, filled with sincerity, were beyond expectations.

A technique that seemed to unfold like a sword dance.

Smooth and bizarre.

The new type split into three, and kicks flew in dozens.

It was so chaotic, it felt like his ability might be creating clones.

Kim Seo-hyun, facing him, wasn’t easy either.

Simple and disciplined, he didn’t move much or swing often.

But Grid’s attacks were being blocked one after another.

“Don’t worry here, you deal with the girl.”

Even in the midst of it, he maintained a relaxed voice.

“…He’s fighting well.”

“Right, he seems stronger than Instructor Yoo Soo-gap?”

While blocking Grid’s chaotic attacks, he seemed to hear Jeong Gyeoul and Lee Ha-yoon’s conversation and faintly smiled.

It seemed like he might not just be holding out, but could even capture him alone.

‘Then we can just focus on the girl.’

She had already inflicted a significant injury on the thigh.

With mobility crippled, the best strategy was to overwhelm the enemy with speed and distance control.

And… that was Hayan-Gyeoul’s most confident strategy.

Jeong Gyeoul glanced at Lee Ha-yoon.

They exchanged looks, and it seemed like they could read each other’s thoughts.

‘You know what to do, right?’

‘Yeah, don’t worry.’

Lee Ha-yoon gathered all the magic power she had stored and created a spell.

Clap!

As she clapped her hands loudly and spread them open again.

Zap zap zap!

Electricity gathered between her palms, forming a sphere larger than her head.

The amount of magic power concentrated in the electric sphere was immense at a glance.

‘Gyeoul, it’s your turn now.’

‘Leave it to me.’

Jeong Gyeoul took out all the daggers equipped on her Hero Suit and floated them in the air.

She made them circle around Pigrithia, engaging in suppression with every slight movement.

“…Really annoying.”

At the same time, the electric sphere Lee Ha-yoon shot was flying towards Pigrithia.

Slower than expected.

If it were a 1v1 with Lee Ha-yoon, Pigrithia would have closed the distance and pierced her with a spear before the sphere could reach.

But Lee Ha-yoon had a great partner, Jeong Gyeoul.

She trusted Jeong Gyeoul to cover for her, ensuring the slow-moving sphere would hit.

Pigrithia tried to dodge the incoming magic, but the injury on her thigh made it impossible to outpace Jeong Gyeoul’s daggers.

Ignoring them wasn’t an option either, there were too many.

‘Blocking is the limit, forcing through would just add three or four more holes.’

But the slowly approaching sphere seemed like it would end the fight the moment it hit, regardless of a few holes.

‘Only one way out, take the hit and push through the daggers.’

It was the moment she tried to jump through the area with the fewest daggers.

“Cornered and not thinking straight, huh? Anyone could see that spot was left open on purpose.”

The area with the fewest daggers, seemingly the easiest to break through, became the hardest as Jeong Gyeoul appeared.

“Tch!”

It was too late to change direction now.

The electric sphere was already pressing close.

The dagger encirclement tightened.

And right in front, Jeong Gyeoul.

With her injured leg, there seemed no way out.

“Grid! Stop and help me for a sec…”

She fully expected him to be struggling too, but in desperation, she called for help.

But…

What Pigrithia saw was Grid, covered in wounds and bleeding.

Kim Seo-hyun was also rolling around, his clothes dirtied from being hit…

But not as bad as Grid.

Jeong Gyeoul didn’t miss the moment Pigrithia froze and moved the dagger at her waist and the flying daggers simultaneously.

All attacks became a massive wave, crashing down on Pigrithia.

The daggers flying towards Pigrithia were blocked once, twice, thrice by her spear.

At the same time, Jeong Gyeoul’s dagger, slashing down from the front, was barely dodged with a bizarre movement, but the daggers moved again, injuring her arms and legs.

And then…

Zap zap zap zap!

The magic Lee Ha-yoon shot had reached under Pigrithia’s legs.

“Kuh, kuh ah ah ah ah ah!”

The moment the sphere touched Pigrithia, a deafening roar covered Magic Stone Mountain, and dozens of electric currents wrapped around her.

Watching Pigrithia burn black, Jeong Gyeoul let out a deep breath…

“Did we get her?”

“…Ah, no, Gyeoul.”

She had just chanted a resurrection spell.

“…?”

“The magic I just shot was stronger than the electric sphere…”

“What are you…”

About to ask what nonsense she was saying.

Pigrithia, convulsing from the electric shock and burnt black, moved.

“Kuh ah ah what is this monster!”

Pigrithia raised her trembling hand, aiming her spear at Jeong Gyeoul’s neck.

But no magic or strength was behind it.

Just a spear held up.

Jeong Gyeoul wouldn’t fall for such a sloppy attack.

She swung her dagger, cutting off Pigrithia’s wrist and creating distance.

“How is she moving?”

“How? You made her move.”

“When did I!”

“You chanted the resurrection spell, ‘Did we get her?’, luckily she didn’t fully resurrect.”

“….”

Whenever Lee Ha-yoon said things like this, Jeong Gyeoul never knew how to respond, so she stayed silent this time too.

If Lee Ha-yoon suppressed Jeong Gyeoul’s delusions.

Jeong Gyeoul suppressed Lee Ha-yoon’s memes and jokes.

“That side is already done, how about you surrender too?”

“Shut up! Just shut up and fight!”

“Young ones these days don’t learn manners. Traditionally, people should have five virtues: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust…”

Kim Seo-hyun combined physical and mental attacks, pressuring Grid from all sides.

With Hayan-Gyeoul joining after finishing the fight with Pigrithia, the battle ended quickly.

“Wow… we defeated an Apostle without breaking a single bone…”

The swordsmanship learned from Kim Yu-shin, the enhanced training.

And… perfect teamwork with Lee Ha-yoon.

‘At this point…’

Imagining she could even beat Jeong Ha-yul, she calmed her surging magic power and plopped down on the floor.

“Good job, we’ll handle the cleanup, rest for a bit.”

“But who came up with this plan?”

“That’s… a secret.”

When Jeong Gyeoul asked with sparkling eyes, Kim Seo-hyun almost let it slip but felt like he shouldn’t tell.

‘This secret goes to the grave.’

Unaware that his decision had just saved a Hwarang’s life.

He tended to Jeong Gyeoul and Lee Ha-yoon’s wounds.

 

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