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Chapter 65: Crash!!

If there was a god causing such chaos, I’d think that being in quite the rush must be their specialty, as Yeon-woo rolled on the ground.

“Ouch, ouch….”

Rubbing her bottom like a red-nosed plumber with a mustache, Yeon-woo got back on her feet. Hastily glancing around, she noticed Baek In-hwa getting up across from her, gripping her wrist tightly.

“Are you okay, Baek In-hwa?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Could you ease up a little?”

“Okay, got it.”

[Wow, you really had a tight grip there.]

‘What if we can’t both get through? I’ll be tossing and turning all night with anxiety.’

For this situation, being meticulous was key. I felt sorry for leaving a handprint on her wrist, but I figured she’d understand.

The two stood up and dusted themselves off, looking around. Snow was falling from the sky, and as expected, there were no signs of a gate amidst the endless snowy plains.

“…It’s a good thing I jumped in, or it would’ve been a disaster if it’s a closed gate.”

“…Thanks for thinking that much of me. But uh, this gate is really suitable for me.”

“What do you mean? We’re friends! Since we were supposed to tackle the gate together, let’s clear this one now.”

Yeon-woo said that while pretending not to know. After all, there was no way to determine the type of gate at this point. Apart from the fact that it was closed, there was nothing else she could deduce about it.

Yet, no matter how she looked at it, everything seemed odd from this point forward.

The snow-covered expanse. It felt bizarre that the environment inside the gate seemed overwhelmingly favorable to Baek In-hwa. Also, claiming that a gate appeared right in the center of Harmony City was too far-fetched. Nothing seemed right.

It was hard to believe that the small lord of the Ice Palace, who had such beneficial terrain, had been defeated. The Ice Palace has even been known to push back the Demon King from their home ground.

“I’ll call Shar. Keep an eye on the surroundings.”

“Got it.”

‘What do you think, Shar?’

[That part definitely feels weird. I’ll go check it out. But somehow it feels like there’s a trap here.]

‘Right, it can’t be anything but a trap.’

If someone were to ask who set a trap for the small lord of the Ice Palace and why, the answer had already started to form.

‘Once we check the contents, we’ll probably find out. It’s likely Toyo’s Demon King.’

The offender who was halted by the Ice Palace while advancing towards the North Sea. It’s true that the Ice Palace has been targeted by various organizations, but the only one who’d go as far as planting a trap for even the small lord, who wasn’t even the current master, would be someone like that.

But still, making such guesses just based on the environment was speculative at best; it could have naturally occurred at a very low probability.

Meanwhile, Shar, composed of mana, jumped down and landed on the ground.

“Snow!!”

She exclaimed with pure excitement. Well, thinking back, it was probably her first time seeing snow, so it made sense she’d be thrilled.

“Aren’t you cold? Think you’ll be okay?”

“I’m fine!!”

Whether categorized as a reptile or a mammal, Shar was a dragon after all, so Yeon-woo asked, but Shar just giggled and replied cheerfully. Still uncertain, Yeon-woo took off her jacket and draped it over Shar, then grabbed her tiny hand as they approached Baek In-hwa, who was surveying the area.

“Alright. Are you thinking of moving forward?”

“I guess so. If it’s closed, there’s no other option.”

Given the environment suitable for their home turf, Baek In-hwa confidently walked ahead.

There were occasional glimpses of snow wolves appearing through the falling snow, but they seemed to have no desire to intrude upon Baek In-hwa’s domain, disappearing into the flurries.

“Are we not handling those?”

“Those kinds won’t approach with just a rough idea of the power difference.”

“Oh….”

So they used the species’ traits. It seemed she knew quite a lot about the monsters in cold regions. However, considering the Ice Palace’s stronghold, they didn’t really need to because simply standing their ground expanded their territory; meaning they had overwhelming superiority in any ranged battle, no matter who the opponent was.

“But the reactions seem lighter than expected… There are plenty of snow wolves, but no dangerous ones around.”

“True. But this scenery….”

“Why? Have you seen it before?”

“Yeah, in the North Sea….”

What?! So, this was actually the North Sea? With that, it made sense why she could refer to the Ice Palace’s techniques as proven skills—why had this battlefield been set up here?

However, there was something off about Baek In-hwa’s expression as she mentioned the North Sea. For someone who seldom showed her feelings, this rare flicker of unease shadowing her eyes was something unusual.

…And as the snowfall cleared, the two arrived at a completely frozen lake. A vast, thickly frozen lake where Baek In-hwa’s past started to protrude like a memory she just couldn’t shake.

*

Thud!!

“What the heck? Did you trip or something?”

Meanwhile, at that moment, a man dressed in black was rolling down the stairs connecting the underground and ground of the commercial district. His companion laughed mockingly at the sight, but upon seeing the man’s eyes rolled back in his head and fainted, his expression turned serious.

No matter how low in rank he may be, members of the Dark Guild were mostly acknowledged awakened beings with their own skills. There was no way someone like that would faint just from tripping on the stairs.

“Ugh…!!”

His slow reaction wasn’t the issue. It was simply that the time taken to check on his colleague had given the assailants ample time to strike. Before the man could turn around to shout, his voice was silenced with a thud, swallowed by the darkness.

Brushing back his light brown hair that fluttered in the wind behind his ear, he looked down at Harmony City’s commercial district from high above, where the alleys had been cordoned off, resembling yellow caution tape.

In truth, that perception wasn’t entirely wrong. Considering they were in the middle of cleansing the Dark Guild from this land, it almost felt right to scoop them up just as they were.

“Then, Director. Shall we go clean up the house?”

Ain pretended to be innocent, lightly lifting her skirt with her fingertips. Watching her coldly like a gust of wind from the rooftop, Yuri frowned as she crossed her arms behind her back.

“Are you trying to make a joke after asking for help? Do you wish to see your old man incapacitated?”

“Eh, no way! I was just putting into practice the lesson that says to help the elderly who struggle.”

“You’re aware you’re the one who worries the most about nothing? I’ll be over there, so make sure you collect them properly.”

With that, Yuri leapt from the rooftop of the skyscraper. Ain, momentarily entranced by how she seemed to vanish from the midsection of the building as if teleporting, coldly smirked. She brought a finger to her ear and said,

“Alright, Vice President. It’s time to kick those vermin bringing disease out of the house.”

– Did you perhaps eat something wrong?

*

A deeply ingrained hateful landscape. Looming over the thickly frozen lake loomed a house-sized Frost Alligator. There I was, trembling before it. The alligator, mouth wide open as if to swallow, and beside me, a boy in pure white robes pushing back Baek In-hwa.

Tap.

The door to the judgment hall of the afterlife closed right before my eyes. The giant body of the monster sank to the bottom of the lake with the sound of the judge of the dead announcing the opening of the trial with a mallet.

Baek In-hwa could only sit there in a daze, having lost her only remaining bloodline right before her eyes, rendered speechless and motionless.

Like a lost child, she could only let tears stream down her cheeks.

“Hey, hey! Baek In-hwa!”

“I’m… okay.”

With Baek In-hwa pressed in front of him, Yeon-woo felt utterly frustrated. She couldn’t comprehend what on earth was happening.

As soon as she saw the lake, Baek In-hwa wobbled like she had seen something dreadful. Could she have taken an unexpected attack? Yeon-woo hurriedly supported her, but thankfully that didn’t seem to be the case.

But through her reactions, Yeon-woo could roughly grasp why Baek In-hwa had met her end due to this gate before her regression.

Most likely, it was tied to some past of Baek In-hwa that Yeon-woo didn’t know. The environment here was just too similar to the North Sea to be a coincidence. That was the only reason she could falter. It could be the number one cause of death among hunters.

A body can be trained, but not the mind; thus, hunters emotionally traumatized by shocking experiences are known to perish.

In that sense, Baek In-hwa’s reaction was rather subdued. One’s defense mechanisms aren’t that fragile, and if a long-dormant trauma were to be abruptly triggered, it could easily lead to a panic.

‘Geez, this is frustrating.’

[So true….]

No matter how capable Shar might be as an all-purpose dragon, reading someone else’s memories carelessly in a place that wasn’t her territory was impossible.

Though it wasn’t entirely impossible if it was her domain. If Shar grew a bit more, perhaps attempts could be made. She had heard that it would be much simpler if she had the other party’s consent, but still.

But what was even more frustrating was the fact that nothing was happening right now. Since they arrived by the lake, even the snow wolves that had occasionally appeared had vanished. Maybe the timing for an ambush wasn’t just right?

At that moment, Yeon-woo felt Shar tugging her hand eagerly. With a puzzled expression, Yeon-woo peered into the depths of the lake.

“…Dad.”

“Huh? What is it, Shar?”

“You said they won’t charge in if they know the power difference… right?”

“Exactly?”

“But the snow wolves were visible until just now, and now they’re gone since we entered the lake. Why is that?”

“Well…”

Considering that Baek In-hwa hadn’t expanded her controlled territory since some point, the snow wolves should still be within visual range. But why were they not visible now? Was it slippery around the lake? That couldn’t be the case.

“And there seems to be something inside the lake. It’s the only thing in there.”

“Something? What do you mean?”

“I don’t know…. It doesn’t seem alive.”

“…Ah.”

Shar probably wanted to seek validation. As in, whether she was on the right track with her thoughts. Yeon-woo thought it’d be okay to speak confidently, but still holding onto Baek In-hwa’s hand, who looked slightly shaken, she leapt backward. Shar cautiously followed her, peeking into the lake’s depths.

(To be continued in the next episode)

 

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