A Step Too Late
Whoosh! Crack!
“Ugh!”
Barely deflecting the whip that lashed out like a snake, Geomhu let out a deep groan. She thought to herself, this is truly the end.
“Wow. Impressive. Even with those wounds. Are you in a secret class, by any chance?”
The woman wielding the whip seemed intrigued, but Geomhu no longer had the strength to respond. Her energy was severely depleted after the battle with the vagrants. In that state, she had been caught off guard, her abdomen pierced, and thrown to the ground multiple times. Though she managed to stand through sheer willpower, her endurance was critically low.
It was almost a miracle she had held her ground alone for this long, given her dire condition.
Clinging desperately to her fading consciousness, Geomhu glanced around. If she could receive the same support as before, perhaps there was a way out. But all she saw were three people weeping over a fallen man.
As her last hope vanished, despair flickered in Geomhu’s eyes. And then—
“You shouldn’t let your guard down in a fight.”
Thud!
“Aaah!”
It was a moment of carelessness. The woman with the whip seized the opportunity, striking Geomhu precisely. She twisted instinctively, but couldn’t avoid the whip that lashed her right shoulder. With a sharp cry, she dropped her sword, Seolah, and collapsed.
Swish! Snap!
Retrieving her whip, Yurina dusted off her hands and surveyed the area. Five bodies lay around, but the vagrants who had fled numbered at least four times that. It was hard to believe they had run from the users before her; they must have been chased off by someone else.
“Simon said to scout the area, right?”
Determined to be thorough, Yurina approached the remaining three. They were huddled together, mourning over a man. She paused a short distance away, resting her left hand on her knee and leaning forward slightly to speak.
“Hey, can I ask you something? Did a slightly chubby guy come through here?”
The “slightly chubby guy” was Kangsan, as seen through Yurina’s eyes. Naturally, there was no response. They couldn’t understand her words, and Ahn Hyun, regaining his senses, turned to her with a face full of rage.
Yurina sighed. As Ahn Hyun tried to rise with his spear, she lashed out with her whip without hesitation.
Thud.
The whip struck his unprotected chest with ease. Blood spurted out, and a high-pitched scream echoed around them. With a calm expression, Yurina retrieved her whip, pulling out bits of flesh and blood. Ahn Hyun’s body crumpled, still clutching his spear.
“Ahn Hyun?! You bitch…!”
Without missing a beat, Yurina swung her whip again.
Thud.
Lee Yoo-jung, who had been trying to get up, froze. Her face briefly registered disbelief. Slowly, she looked down at her side, where the whip had pierced an already open wound.
With a trembling voice, Lee Yoo-jung spoke.
“Ahn Sol… run…”
Thud!
Seeing Lee Yoo-jung collapse, Ahn Sol momentarily stopped breathing. Her mind went blank, as if she had lost her senses. Her legs gave out, and her once bright eyes dimmed to a dull gray.
Thump, thump! Thump, thump!
In the emptiness inside her, only the pounding of her heart echoed.
Unfazed, Yurina approached and asked gently once more.
“Did you see that man? Did he come here?”
“A…”
“Did you deal with the vagrants’ bodies? Do you remember where they went?”
“An…”
Yurina sighed at the meaningless response. Deciding it was time to leave, she flicked her right hand. The whip cracked against the ground with a loud snap, then coiled like a snake.
But then, a cracked orb suddenly intercepted the whip’s path.
Whoosh! Clink!
“Huh?”
Yurina’s eyebrow twitched. Despite aiming for Ahn Sol’s neck, the whip hadn’t reached her.
The orb was a “Modified Shield of Protection.” Though damaged during the vagrant attack, the orb itself wasn’t destroyed. Sensing its owner’s danger, it intervened despite its incomplete state.
Crackle… Crackle…
The shield’s last bit of power spent, the orb rolled to the ground, scattering its shattered fragments into the air.
“No…”
Amidst the fragments carried by the wind, Ahn Sol murmured.
“What is this?”
Yurina tilted her head in confusion. But seeing the shattered orb, she adjusted her grip on the whip. The cord extended in a long curve, touching the ground. She tightened her grip slightly.
Ahn Sol spoke again.
“No…!”
At that moment, as Ahn Sol’s heartbeat soared to its peak, everything stopped.
The pounding heart ceased, and the trembling in her body subsided. Like a hollow doll, she couldn’t control her body or feel anything.
“Goodbye.”
Swish!
As Ahn Sol’s head drooped, the whip shot forward in a straight line. It pierced her abdomen effortlessly.
The sensation of the whip piercing her turned into pain. As the agony spread through her body, time began to flow slowly.
In that fleeting moment, Ahn Sol’s eyes took in everything around her.
She saw Geomhu lying as if dead in the distance.
Ahn Hyun and Lee Yoo-jung lay in a pool of blood.
And there was Shin Sang-yong, cold and still, with a faint smile.
Everyone had fallen. No one could help her.
Everything moved in slow motion.
And then it ended. As time returned to normal, Ahn Sol’s head snapped up.
The heartbeat that had stopped.
Thump!
The trembling that had ceased.
Thump!
“Nooooo!”
At last, Ahn Sol’s lips parted, and she screamed.
『You have met the conditions for awakening. In response to your earnest wish, the secret class ‘Priest of Brilliance’ will be bestowed upon you.』
Vroooom!
Simultaneously, Ahn Sol’s entire body was enveloped in a brilliant white light.
“Suhyeon, hold on a moment.”
As we raced across the field, Go Yeon-ju’s voice stopped me. I turned my head to see her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.
“Doesn’t it seem strange? The users and enemies… their numbers have suddenly dwindled. They’re almost nowhere to be seen.”
“Hmm.”
At her words, I used my magic sense to detect any presence nearby.
She was right. Up until we rescued Jeong Ha-yeon, Shin Jae-ryong, and the clan members Kim Han-byeol and Haemil, we had encountered and evaded a significant number of enemies. But since meeting Go Yeon-ju, their appearances had abruptly decreased.
I pondered for a moment before responding.
“Considering the enemy’s objectives, we might be in a blind spot.”
“A blind spot?”
“The vanguard clears the path, and the leaders follow behind.”
“In that case…”
Quick-witted as she was, Go Yeon-ju immediately grasped my meaning. But her face turned pale, showing a hint of hesitation.
“If you’re scared, you can turn back.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Go Yeon-ju glared at me. She had insisted on helping, so she had no intention of leaving me alone. And given her prowess as the ‘Shadow Queen,’ I expected considerable assistance, which I gladly accepted.
It was a welcome situation for me. If we could rescue the remaining members and luck was on our side, we might capture some of the leaders as planned. I intended to leave the transport of the rescued to Go Yeon-ju.
The remaining members were Ahn Hyun, Ahn Sol, Lee Yoo-jung, and Shin Sang-yong. Coincidentally, they seemed to be in the same location. If we maintained this speed, we would reach them soon.
They were the ones I had been with the longest, and losing Ahn Sol would haunt me forever. Determined to save them, I pushed forward.
『Updating user Shin Sang-yong’s information.』
A sudden message appeared, and I checked the information.
‘Huh?’
But no information appeared. The ‘Blessing of the Battlefield’ conveyed the location of allies in danger. The others’ information remained unchanged, but Shin Sang-yong’s was gone.
A sudden, unsettling thought flashed through my mind.
Boom!
In the distance, a massive pillar of light shot up, piercing the sky. It soon formed a circular ellipse, and through the opening emerged a colossal yet beautiful woman. Her eyes were tightly shut, and her form, composed of pure white light, gave the impression of an angel.
A low hum resonated through the air.
I stopped in my tracks, unable to move. An angel suddenly projected onto the sky. This scene was something I had witnessed only once before, in the first cycle.
Yes, this is…
“The Awakening Secret Class. The Priest of Radiance has appeared!”
“Confirming the activation of Miracle!”
‘A miracle!’
At that moment, the angel’s closed eyes slowly opened.
A brilliant flash!
As soon as the angel’s eyes fully opened, a radiant light burst forth from her entire being.
The light was so intense that it covered the entire area, and I instinctively closed my eyes.
How much time had passed?
When I cautiously opened my eyes, I saw the descending light enveloping me, and new messages appeared in the air.
“All health is restored!”
“All mana is restored!”
“All status ailments are healed!”
In an instant, my entire condition was restored. I had been unknowingly exhausted from the battlefield, but now I was back to my original state.
No, it wasn’t just my original state. A vitality I hadn’t felt since acquiring the Flame Essence coursed through my body. It had been a long time since I felt this invigorated.
“What on earth?”
Go Yeon-ju let out a startled cry. Her face showed a hint of confusion, but as she moved her arms, it seemed she was having similar thoughts to mine.
The unique ability of the Priest of Radiance. Miracle.
The fact that it had been activated meant…
“Suhyeon!”
Without hesitation, I started running again.
The scenery around me blurred past.
Ansol’s advancement to ‘Priest of Radiance’ was certainly something to celebrate. It would accelerate my plans at least twofold, if not threefold.
Yet, an inexplicable unease crept into my heart. Why was that?
The answer became clear soon enough. My heightened senses finally detected the presence of the others. As the distance closed enough for me to see with my own eyes, I let out a deep groan.
The first thing I saw was the Sword Queen collapsed. But she wasn’t the problem. Nearby, Ahn Hyun, Lee Yoo-jung, and Shin Sang-yong were all lying in pools of blood.
For a moment, my mind went blank. At the same time, I saw a woman, presumably the culprit, staggering to her feet. In her hand was a thorny whip.
In front of the muttering woman, Ansol sat with her eyes tightly shut, white wings fluttering on her back.
The woman raised her whip high into the sky. There was still some distance left.
Without delay, I hurled ‘Victoria’s Glory’ with all my might at the woman.
Swish!
At that moment, our eyes met.
I immediately executed the third-stage flight.
Thump! Pop! Boom!
After leaping, transforming, and soaring, I opened my eyes to see the sword belatedly striking the woman.
Clang!
“Oh, brother?”
A high-pitched scream accompanied the sound of the sword bouncing off, and a faint voice brought me back to my senses.
Slowly turning my head, I saw Ansol, now awake, looking up at me. I gave a slight nod.
“Why… why are you so late… all… all…”
Does she not realize what she’s done? Ansol’s choked voice reached my ears.
Before anything else, I used my third eye to survey the surroundings. Clutching an elixir bottle tightly in my hand.
“User Nam Da-eun (Normal).”
“User Ahn Hyun (Normal).”
“User Lee Yoo-jung (Normal).”
The three I checked with my third eye were alive. I let out a sigh of relief. Though their bodies were collapsed, they too had received the miracle’s effect. In the midst of urgency, I patted my chest in relief and focused on the last person.
“User Shin Sang-yong (Deceased).”
’…….’
But Shin Sang-yong was dead.
In that moment, as if in a trance, I approached and knelt before Shin Sang-yong. His body had a large hole in it, likely the work of the woman with the whip. It must have been excruciating, yet his face bore a peaceful, gentle smile. Just as he always did.
I quietly gazed at Shin Sang-yong.
’…….’
It didn’t bother me. I had expected one or two casualties. If it had been Go Yeon-ju or Ansol, it would have been a loss, but there was always Vivian, the ‘Chimera Alchemist.’
It didn’t bother me. I felt calm. Losing people was nothing new; it was a familiar situation.
Even though I confirmed Shin Sang-yong’s death, I felt nothing.
Truly, nothing at all.
’…….’
No, I felt nothing at all.
In Ansol’s eyes, numerous messages floated in the air. But the only thing she could see was Kim Suhyeon.
“Brother…”
Ansol stared at Kim Suhyeon’s back. She was at a loss for words. There were no visible wounds, but his back was a mess. From the tattered ‘Blue Dragon Knight’s Cloak’ to the bloodstains smeared inside, it was a testament to the trials he had endured. Suddenly, Ansol felt a pang of shame. Just as she was about to reach out cautiously.
“Sigh…”
With a soft sigh, Kim Suhyeon stood up. And at that moment, it felt as if all the air around them had stilled.
Ansol’s breath caught in her throat, and she instinctively dropped her hand. Was her body reacting to what was about to happen? Despite her will, she began to tremble like a leaf.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly, a clear flame flickered from Kim Suhyeon’s eyes as he lifted his face. Simultaneously, an overwhelming aura surged forth, threatening to engulf everything like a flood. The aura quickly dominated the area. In its presence, no one dared to move. It was an unmistakable killing intent.
Step by step.
With a calm expression, Kim Suhyeon walked over and picked up the fallen ‘Victoria’s Glory.’ Yulina swallowed hard. Despite the apparent vulnerability in his actions, she didn’t move a muscle. No, she couldn’t. Because instinctively, she knew.
The moment she took even a single step, she would die.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Thank you all for your interest.
The Priest of Radiance has appeared. And the class’s unique ability, Miracle, is what makes the Priest of Radiance the ultimate powerhouse. Of course, it’s an incredibly overpowered ability, but it comes with significant penalties.
Shin Sang-yong has died. While the others sustained severe injuries, they were still barely clinging to life, whereas Shin Sang-yong’s life had completely ended. That’s why he didn’t receive the miracle’s effect.
If Miracle had the power of resurrection, it would conflict with the established setting. It would also disrupt the balance.
There were overwhelming comments to save Shin Sang-yong, but I thought it best to stick to the original plan. :)
I apologize for the recent delays in updates.
Honestly, I had the content ready before midnight. I could have met the midnight release schedule. However, the reason for the delay was the time spent adding content and refining the writing. If I had posted it in its rough draft state, you wouldn’t have enjoyed it nearly as much as you do now.
I aim to polish the work at least to a minimum standard before posting, so I ask for your understanding.
PS. There’s a new feature called the Love Index in the comments section. Does anyone know what it is?