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Before Serena’s warning could be heard, Jeong Ha-yul had already sensed the presence of the Awakened Ones from Japan. However, exhausted from the fight with Xiao Lin, her reaction was slightly delayed.

One aimed for her arm, the other for her leg, attacking from both above and below. She knew she couldn’t block both, so she had to make a choice.

‘I’ll sacrifice the leg.’

She judged that the leg, with its thicker muscles, would sustain less nerve damage compared to the arm. The pain of flesh tearing and bones breaking was something she could heal from without lasting effects, making it the best choice for now.

But there was one thing Jeong Ha-yul hadn’t considered: Jeong Gyeoul’s presence.

She had thought Gyeoul would find a way to escape with her and Serena, but she never expected Gyeoul to save her. Since childhood, Ha-yul had always been the one saving others, never the one being saved.

However, Gyeoul couldn’t just stand by and watch Ha-yul get hurt.

“Die!”

Just as the Japanese Awakened Ones drew their swords, Gyeoul’s telekinetic power slammed into them, sending them flying dozens of meters.

“Those damn Japs, I was waiting for them to pull something. Typical.”

Instead of thanking Gyeoul, Ha-yul’s first words were complaints.

“Where did you learn to talk like that? You really need to distance yourself from Hayan…”

“Are you being a boomer, sis? Why? Everyone talks like this these days.”

Ha-yul was speechless, instantly labeled as an old-fashioned nag.

“And… if anything, I’m the one who influenced Hayan, not the other way around.”

“…”

A storm of thoughts rushed through Ha-yul’s mind, but she decided to end the conversation, resolving to have a serious talk with Eun-chae and Kang-woo about Gyeoul’s personality education once they got home.

“Let’s talk about this at home. Anyway, thanks for saving me, Gyeoul.”

“It’s nothing compared to what you’ve done for me.”

Gyeoul, who only responded to the thanks, immediately started planning her escape to the Academy as soon as they arrived in Korea.

“…What did I just witness?”

“What do you mean? You almost got taken out.”

David Burns had arrived next to Ian Cabell. He had been knocked out by a much stronger force than the Japanese Awakened Ones, which was why he arrived late.

The Japanese Awakened Ones, who had been taken out by Gyeoul’s relatively weaker attack while she was saving Ha-yul, were also returning to the battlefield.

“…It wasn’t carelessness.”

“Yeah, that was pure skill.”

They couldn’t hide their shock and didn’t even dare to attack.

“Korea has been deceiving the world.”

“We need to contact our country immediately. A hero stronger and younger than the Demon King has appeared.”

They wanted to leave and report this, but Gyeoul was in control of the battlefield. They hesitated, not daring to move.

Seeing this, Gyeoul smiled.

‘Am I the K-Hero who’s making America tremble and Japan shake?’

Her existence had already been exposed to other countries, but she had no intention of killing them. Instead, she decided to show off her strength even more to make them think twice about challenging her.

“Yah!”

Gyeoul let out a cute battle cry, gathering all her magic power and converting it into telekinesis.

Kugugugugugung—

A strange sound, as if the atmosphere itself was crying, echoed.

“Ugh!”

“Kuh!”

“This power is insane!”

The telekinetic force pressed down on both the Japanese and American sides.

This was the same telekinetic press Gyeoul had used once before during a variety show, subduing villains in the Association’s underground prison. It was a wide-range suppression technique perfect for crushing weaker Awakened Ones, and it even subdued S-Class Awakened Ones.

“From now on, if you follow us, there will be no holding back.”

“Does that mean… you’re sparing us?”

“…Did you think I was going to kill you?”

Gyeoul’s expression hardened, and the Awakened Ones desperately denied it, even as they were being crushed by the telekinetic press.

“N-no, of course not!”

“Korea has always been known for its kindness!”

“We trusted you!”

Finally, Gyeoul’s expression softened, and she smiled again.

‘Holy shit, I almost died just now.’

‘Dear God, it feels like we just experienced hell. Forgive our sins and deliver us from evil.’

After confirming their reactions, Gyeoul coolly turned around and reached out to Serena.

“It’s all handled, so let’s go.”

However, Serena’s expression looked a bit strange.

“Gyeoul, the hero!”

“I’m not a hero yet…”

“I’ve never seen such a strong hero at such a young age!”

Serena wouldn’t be officially recognized as a hero until after they returned to Korea and she completed her early graduation and instructor qualifications.

‘So for now, she’s just a student. But…’

Ignoring Gyeoul’s words, Serena started jumping around excitedly. Ha-yul, who had just arrived, also looked clearly flustered.

“C-can I call you unnie?”

“…Huh?”

Gyeoul tilted her head, wondering if she had misheard, but Ha-yul also seemed unsure how to respond.

“Please let me call you unnie!”

“I-I’m only 14, though…”

Despite having just subdued four S-Class Awakened Ones in an instant, Gyeoul couldn’t help but be flustered by Serena Olson’s attack.

“If you’re pretty and cool, you’re unnie.”

“…”

The world is vast, and there’s no such thing as normal.

Gyeoul once again realized the truth of the saying she had always believed in.

Another oddball had been added to Gyeoul’s network.

***

The group boarded the Prophet Ship docked at Long Beach to return to Korea.

“Is this the ship we’re taking?”

Deputy Ha Jun-seok bowed his head, blaming the Association President once again.

‘I said we should take a cruise… The budget was set by the Association President…’

Such is the sorrow of a working man.

“I’m sorry, we should have arranged a bigger ship.”

“No… I was actually expecting something like a small fishing boat, so seeing this ship makes me happy.”

“I’m glad to hear that. The food here is as good as any cruise, so I hope you have a pleasant journey back to Korea.”

While Gyeoul was out fetching Serena, the Sea Serpent had fled deep into the ocean. As a result, the Prophet Ship had no choice but to embark on a 15-day voyage.

‘How come not a single one showed up?’

The group’s hope of encountering another sea monster was dashed. Despite the hundreds of global trade accidents caused by sea monsters, not a single one appeared near the Prophet Ship.

The group enjoyed a pleasant 15-day voyage with Michelin-starred meals and finally arrived in Korea.

“Good work.”

Association President Jeong Ho-min and officials from the Diplomatic Department came out to greet them.

“It was nothing. Just keep your promise.”

“We’ve already completed all the administrative work.”

“…Already? You finished it before we even got back?”

“We were confident you’d succeed. With Korea’s pride, Hero Jeong Ha-yul, and the even stronger Hero Jeong Gyeoul, what couldn’t you accomplish?”

Jeong Ho-min was one of the few who knew about Gyeoul’s journey to the Demon Realm. He was certain she wouldn’t return defeated from America.

Despite all the fuss, the outcome was surprisingly anticlimactic.

‘Is there no one left on Earth who can challenge me? Has the time come to seal the Black Flame Dragon again…’

Others saw Gyeoul’s smug smile and thought she was just a child happy to be recognized by the Association President.

But only Ha-yul knew the truth.

‘She’s starting her delusions again.’

“Awakened One Serena Olson. You’ll need to stay with us for a few days due to procedures…”

“Yes, I expected that.”

Serena Olson would return after completing her asylum process with the Diplomatic Department. In the short time they had spent together, some affection had grown, and Gyeoul approached Serena.

As everyone watched with warm smiles,

“Serena.”

“Yes, Gyeoul.”

“Do you want to die?”

Everyone was stunned by Gyeoul’s sudden provocation.

“…W-what’s wrong with you?”

“Don’t play dumb, or you’ll really die.”

Just as the tension was rising, Serena handed Gyeoul a sandwich and scratched her head.

“How did you know? According to the prophecy, you shouldn’t have noticed…”

“How many times do I have to prove that your prophecies don’t work on me before you stop this?”

“I’m sorry! I’ll treat you to a nice meal when I get back.”

“…It’s not because of the meal that I’m letting this go.”

During the voyage, the group had experimented with Serena’s prophetic abilities and discovered that she could predict events that would happen to her.

They decided to build on this basic ability and experimented with stealing items on the ship to see if the prophecies held true…

Unfortunately, on the last day, Serena had stolen the chef’s special sandwich.

‘Even if it’s training, stealing the sandwich was crossing the line.’

After getting the sandwich back and securing a promise of a meal, Gyeoul’s smile returned.

“Take care, Serena. See you at the Academy.”

“Yes! Thank you, Gyeoul. And Ha-yul unnie! And Jun-seok ahjussi! See you all later!”

“…Why am I the only one called ahjussi?”

Serena coolly ignored the ahjussi’s question and boarded the Diplomatic Vehicle.

 

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