novelOne Step (1)
| ← Ch.332 | Ch.334 → |
"My blood reacts when it is exposed to demonic energy. I guess you can say it boils."
In the Secret Service Institute's training room that Shimurin constructed with the help of Seraine's funding, I was listening to Harin's explanation.
"When my blood mixes with magic power, it transforms into a new power. My clan calls it Exorcism. Although it's incredibly effective against demons, it cannot be used at all against those who aren't."
"Mm."
Listening to her explanation, I looked at the Gift I obtained through luck.
===
[True Exorcism]
—Blood of an Exorcist
*Increases all variable stats by 1~100% when facing demonic beings. The stat increase is proportional to the power of the demonic being.
—Abyss
*Strengthens Partial Devilization
—Exorcism
*Connects with your Authority, 'Devil Hunter', and greatly ignores the demonic energy of demons.
===
Kwang—!
As I was slowly reading through the Gift's description, the training room door burst open, and Yun Seung-Ah and Aileen barged in, fuming from their nostrils for some reason.
Harin and I stared at them in confusion.
"Argh, how annoying. Seung-Ah, are we allowed to be ignored like this?"
"... People just aren't friendly to new faces."
Aileen stomped the ground as soon as she walked in, and Yun Seung-Ah simply sighed.
"Those weak idiots... Arrrgh—!"
Aileen was on the verge of exploding, raising her hands in frustration. Seeing her like this, I asked in a quiet voice.
"... Did something happen?"
"... Huh? Ah, you guys are still here."
Aileen quickly sizzled down. She scratched the back of her head in embarrassment before placing her hand on her hip and staring at us. She was clearly readying herself to vent her frustration.
"Listen, we went to the higher-ups because there were things we needed to do. But the employees there didn't answer any of our questions and just ignored us. When we gave up and turned back to leave, they openly shit-talked us about how we got in through connections and whatnot...."
Aileen paused for a moment and grabbed the nape of her neck.
What happened to them made sense. They were equivalent to Korea's grade-5 public officials, and it was perfectly clear that we got in through connections.
"Ah, my blood pressure.... I'm too old for this."
"Pft."
A chuckle escaped my mouth. It felt strange seeing Aileen say that with her high schoolgirl-like appearance.
"Did you just laugh?"
Aileen immediately sent a death glare my way.
"No, I didn't...."
Tok, tok—
It was then that a knock saved me from a difficult situation. We simultaneously turned to the door, and Aileen opened it before I even mentioned it.
"Hello!... Oh? Aileen-ssi?!"
"... Ah?! Who are you guys?"
Beyond the door were Essence of the Strait's Kim Youngjin, Yohei, Shen Yuan, Yi Jin-Ah, and some others who entered the Demon Realm Gate.
"Ooh, familiar faces!"
It seemed they entered the Secret Service as new members.
Aileen seemed to have found a new toy to play with as she greeted them with a bright smile.
"Welcome, my juniors~!"
**
1 a. m. , a time when the stars illuminated the sky's dense darkness.
Kim Hajin came out to the Republic's nameless forest, alone. Jin Sahyuk had chosen this secluded place, but it actually seemed to be a trail for walks, as long benches were placed around the forest here and there.
Kim Hajin sat down on a bench and looked up at the sky. The full moon radiated cold light, and stars surrounded it as if to protect it. He couldn't help but gaze at this beautiful scene.
"...."
Just like that, he looked at the calm scenery in a daze. After about ten minutes...
"I thought you'd be late."
A woman's voice rang out from the darkness.
Kim Hajin turned his head sideways, where Jin Sahyuk was trudging out of the darkness.
Her long hair was tied in a ponytail, and she was full of confidence as always.
Kim Hajin asked without even the slightest change in his expression.
"... Why'd you ask me to come?"
Jin Sahyuk stopped in front of Kim Hajin's bench. Naturally, she ended up looking down on him.
"There's something I need to ask one last time."
"... Last?"
Last... The strange connotation of the word raised Kim Hajin's eyebrows.
"That's right. This is the last time I'll be seeing your ugly face."
Jin Sahyuk retorted nonchalantly and sat down on the bench.
"... Ku, Kuhum."
Despite acting so imposing, Jin Sahyuk found that she was at a loss for words when she sat down.
Rather, she didn't know how to start a conversation. When she was a king, she had always been straightforward with her words. That was the only way she knew to talk.
That had not changed even now.
"It's about Kindspring."
"... Pft."
Kim Hajin smirked from the abrupt skip to the chase. Jin Sahyuk stole side-glances at him and continued her question.
"What is your relationship with Kind—"
"I don't know either."
"What?"
Kim Hajin didn't want to talk about Kim Chundong. To explain everything, he would need to accept once again that this world was a novel he wrote.
But this world wasn't a novel but a true, real world.
Kim Hajin chuckled and turned to Jin Sahyuk.
"I don't know the details. I came here from another world, just like you, and Kim Chundong... went to your world and became Kindspring. That's it."
Jin Sahyuk received Kim Hajin's gaze with a stern expression.
"I already know everything, so don't try to hide anything. Bell looked into your memories—"
"I wouldn't tell you even if I knew."
"What did you say, you bastard?"
Jin Sahyuk frowned. Kim Hajin simply shrugged his shoulder.
"I won't tell you. No matter what."
"...."
Jin Sahyuk was dumbfounded, but it really didn't look like Kim Hajin would spill anything, especially about Kindspring and 'Synchronization'.
After all, what idiot would reveal his weakness openly?
"... I see."
With no other choice, Jin Sahyuk heaved out a sigh. She then got up from the bench and shot a look at Kim Hajin.
"I called you here for nothing then."
"... That was it?"
"Yeah, you piece of shit."
Disappointed, Jin Sahyuk was about to take her leave, when she suddenly grew angry and turned back.
"Oi, we won't meet again after this, so wanna fight me one last time?"
"Fight?"
Jin Sahyuk asked for a fight, and Kim Hajin got up without a moment of hesitation. Jin Sahyuk immediately flinched, albeit slightly. She didn't expect Kim Hajin to fall for such an obvious provocation. Did he have a lot of pent-up stress?
"W-W-What? You're down? F-Fine, come at me."
Unlike Jin Sahyuk, who was brandishing her arms and legs clamorously, Kim Hajin simply raised his hand and...
Tak—.
... gently placed it on Jin Sahyuk's shoulder.
"Why would we? We're friends now, aren't we?"
Jin Sahyuk could feel warmth and sincerity from the smile on Kim Hajin's face.
"... ?"
In that instant, Jin Sahyuk's mind turned blank, and she blinked her eyes in a daze. Her vision seemed to blur as if a hammer had struck her head.
"I'm leaving then. See you again."
But Kim Hajin didn't give her much time to recover, walking past her like the fleeting wind.
"...."
Jin Sahyuk stood frozen. She simply waited until Kim Hajin's footsteps got farther away.
The word 'friend' shocked her.
Jin Sahyuk had never heard this word until now. She never even considered the possibility that she had a friend. After all, a king didn't have any friends....
Shoooo—
At that moment, magic power condensed on the bench Kim Hajin was sitting on. The magic power swirled together and formed the shape of a human being. Jin Sahyuk knew who it was without having to wait.
"... You came to like him?"
The figure's voice awakened Jin Sahyuk's mind.
"Shut your mouth, you damned—"
"What, didn't you say you were going to bring him to Akatrina? You just let him go! I told you how to switch Kim Hajin with Kindspring."
"...."
Bell's words made Jin Sahyuk speechless. Just like he said, Jin Sahyuk planned to bring Kim Hajin to Akatrina, even if she had to forcefully abduct him.
That was, until she heard the word 'friend'.
"He..."
Jin Sahyuk scratched her head and spat out an excuse.
"He made me remember the past."
Of the many memories she had with Kim Hajin, she recalled the Recorded Past, where she saw her younger self, Prihi, interact with Kim Hajin.
In the Recorded Past, Prihi and Kim Hajin were close. Prihi learned many things from Kim Hajin, relied on him, and even declared that she would one day 'become like him'.
There was no problem calling Prihi and Kim Hajin 'friends'.
'... If, if I also met someone like Kim Hajin when I was young... ' Jin Sahyuk pondered.
"Well, I don't care either way. I just don't want you to be lonely, and you're going to be lonely without me." Bell added playfully.
Jin Sahyuk glared at him and shot back, "I don't need you. Shut the hell up."
Hearing this, Bell gave a bright smile and turned into a wisp of magic power.
"I'll go on ahead. Don't be late~"
"I'm not going back today, retard."
Shoooo— Bell flew away with the wind. Left alone, Jin Sahyuk plopped down on the bench and looked up at the night sky.
The same sky Kim Hajin was just looking at entered her sight. The lone full moon shone in the dense darkness, but it didn't look lonely thanks to all the stars surrounding it.
"I...."
Jin Sahyuk muttered slowly as she gazed into this sky.
"I'm used to being alone."
The words she muttered to herself disappeared into the cold air without reaching Bell or Kim Hajin.
**
[Transnational Peace Conference D-1]
One day before the Transnational Peace Conference, 11:40 p. m.
Everyone from the Secret Service made our way to the Leores Plaza. Citizens from all over the world were gathered to spectate the opening ceremony that would soon take place.
We began to survey the area for any potential threats.
"I don't see anyone suspicious but stay on your toes."
I looked down at the plaza from the watchtower and communicated with the rest of the Secret Service.
—Got it.
—Okay~ Tell us if anything happens.
Members of the Secret Service answered from all across the plaza. They were waiting with their senses heightened to detect any surge of demonic energy.
It was then. Tap, tap- The sound of footsteps rang out from the staircase to the watchtower.
I put the crystal ball in my hand down and turned back.
"... Hmm."
A familiar voice rang out. The unexpected guest was Yoo Yeonha.
"Here you are."
Yoo Yeonha looked around the watchtower with her arms crossed. I could tell that the dusty junk at the corner bothered her quite a bit.
"What are you doing here, Miss CEO? Aren't you busy running your business?"
When I asked, Yoo Yeonha furrowed her brows and walked closer to me.
"It will be the day of the Transnational Peace Conference in less than 20 minutes. Ah, I'm sure you know this already, but the Transnational Peace Conference is a 2-week event. The first ten days are no different from a festival, and the real conference is on the last four days. Unfortunately, we don't know when Baal will descend."
"He'll try to descend on the last day, if possible."
I answered with certainty. From what Jin Sahyuk told me, Baal would wait until the end of the event to make his move.
"... I see. I trust you."
Yoo Yeonha nodded her head without asking more questions.
The amount of trust she had in me was hard to come to terms with. I smiled at her, trying to appear cool, and asked my own question.
"Did you finish your preparation?"
"Yes, I gave each member of the Secret Service an exorcism weapon. We'll have to wait to find out how effective they will be though.... Oh right, this is yours."
Yoo Yeonha held up the long, wooden case in her right hand.
"What's that?"
"A bow. We couldn't buy it even with the Republic's treasury, so we stole it."
"... You stole it?"
For a second, I doubted my ears.
"Open it."
"...."
I tilted my head and opened the case.
Kiik— Inside the screeching case was a wooden bow that looked completely ordinary on the outside.
"How is it?"
I couldn't answer Yoo Yeonha's question.
"... Whoa."
An exclamation of shock left my mouth.
Until now, I never imagined that there would be a bow surpassing the Black Lotus Bow, the synthesized result of Temujin's Bow and Horus's Bow.
===
[Ancient Hero Leoricus's Exorcism Bow] [Pinnacle-grade] [Legendary Artifact]
—The bow used by Hero Leoricus to combat devils.
—Contains several legacies of Leoricus's exorcist power.
===
But now, I had a 'legendary' pinnacle-grade bow. This Leoricus had to be on the same level of fame that Yi Sunshin had in Korea.
"It's amazing."
Hearing me murmur in a daze, Yoo Yeonha smiled faintly.
"But you have to return safely and give it back, okay? There's a fake replica in the museum now."
"Huh? Uh...."
'I don't know if I can return this.... If I fuse this bow with the Black Lotus Bow, I can't begin to imagine what the result will be.... '
"S-Sure, I'll return it safely."
But I nodded my head anyway.
It was then.
—The Transnational Peace Conference starts now!
Midnight seemed to have struck, as fireworks went off with a loud announcement.
Both Yoo Yeonha and I turned to the fireworks.
But I couldn't focus on the scenery, as I was forced to stare at the series of messages popping up in front of me.
[The final episode, Daybreak, begins. ]
[You are now only a single step away from the end. ]
[Remember. You have the right to ask me a question or request something from me. ]
Looking at the messages, I closed my eyes. I focused on the sound of exploding fireworks and the cheering of the people. Suddenly, my heart turned cold, and a thought surfaced in my mind.
"... No matter how this episode ends..."
I sent a message to the co-author.
"Let's butt heads once everything's over."
But Yoo Yeonha thought I was talking to her and tilted her head curiously.
"Huh? Butt our heads?"
"... It's nothing."
I laughed, and Yoo Yeonha pouted like a kid.
Then, to my surprise, the co-author messaged back.
[Understood. ]
[Whether Baal dies or you die]
[Once this episode is over]
[I will invite you. ]
[Then, I wish you the best of luck. ]
I now had another reason I absolutely had to win.
| ← Ch. 332 | Ch. 334 → |