“Suhyun!”
My brother’s sudden shout barely pulled me back to my senses. My blurred vision sharpened, and my frozen consciousness began to return to normal. Only then did the details of my surroundings start to come into focus.
I had no idea what was happening at the front lines. But the clan members and other users around us had formed a circle, their gazes fixed on me and the Hell Duke. Through the crowd, I caught sight of my brother, his eyes flashing sharply—as if he was ready to rush to my rescue at any moment.
“How rude. You insignificant little creature.”
A low voice came from right in front of me. I instinctively turned my gaze and saw crimson eyes radiating a subtle but menacing aura. The Hell Duke looked down at my brother with a face twisted in disgust, barely lifting his head.
“I’m in the middle of asking a question. Who dares to interrupt me? As expected of a bug—you can’t even tell when to butt in and when to stay out.”
“Cut the nonsense and get away from my little brother, you monstrous insect.”
But instead of backing down, my brother growled back, his eyes narrowing fiercely.
“…Huh?”
The Hell Duke let out a scoffing laugh, clearly incredulous. The arrogant, sultry expression faded, replaced by a gleam of anger.
“You pathetic little maggot…”
The Hell Duke frowned in irritation, slowly raising the left hand that had been propping up his chin.
“Well, you guys have always been like this… just something to be crushed underfoot.”
With a disdainful tone, the Hell Duke snapped his fingers.
Snap!
“Shield of Reflect!”
“Aegis System!”
At that moment, Jeong Ha-yeon and Baek Han-gyeol shouted almost simultaneously. They must have been on high alert since the Hell Duke appeared. A golden, translucent shield materialized, blocking the intangible energy charging straight at us.
Crash!
But the two shields shattered in less than a second.
“Ahhh!”
“Ughhh!”
The recoil was so intense that Jeong Ha-yeon and Baek Han-gyeol screamed and were thrown backward into the air. The energy the Hell Duke unleashed slammed directly into my brother.
Then—
Crackle crackle crackle!
Just before the intangible energy could engulf him, golden currents surged from my brother’s entire body like a magnificent fountain. The terrifying discharge spread out like ink in water, pushing back the advancing force as if to say, “No further.”
“This… is the power of the Thunder God?”
A voice nearby murmured, slightly calmer now. My brother stood unmoving, his face steady as he stared down the Hell Duke. The Hell Duke smiled faintly and slowly raised his hand again.
“But it’s still not very interesting. Try harder if you want to live.”
He snapped his fingers once more.
Snap!
“Ugh!”
Suddenly, my brother let out a sharp groan. Turning my gaze, I felt the flow of energy had grown far stronger than before. The Thunder God’s power blazed brilliantly like a candle flickering before it dies, but the intangible energy met it with even greater force.
“Ughhh!”
My brother struggled to hold on, but his expression twisted in pain. He couldn’t keep it up forever—finally, one knee hit the ground with a heavy thud. At last, the Hell Duke’s light laughter echoed, as if somewhat pleased.
“Brother…!”
I wanted to rush to him, but I was frozen in place. The Hell Duke’s index finger, still supporting my chin, tapped lightly—almost as if telling me to stay put.
And I wasn’t the only one. Every time the surrounding users tried to move, the Hell Duke immediately noticed, turning his gaze to silently threaten them. His eyes alone seemed to command the entire wasteland. After watching him tear through Jeong Ha-yeon and Baek Han-gyeol’s shields like paper, no one dared make a move.
“Well? Are you finally ready to reconsider your rude attitude?”
The Hell Duke taunted. My brother’s face was pale and strained, breathing heavily, but he was still fighting with all his might. Planting his feet firmly, he glared defiantly.
Seeing that, I wanted to shout for him to stop, but he showed no sign of giving up. Instead, he let out a strained breath and slowly pushed himself up from his knee. Surrounded by the attacking energy, he forced himself to stand.
“Shut… your mouth…!”
My brother, who rarely swore, shouted with a voice full of grit. His eyes now glowed golden, burning fiercely like the eyes of Kushan Thor in the past.
“Hmm?”
The Hell Duke squinted slightly, a deep smile playing on his lips. His elegant eyes curved seductively as his lips parted.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Suddenly, a thunderous laugh shook the entire world. The sound was so intense it made me wince. At the same time, I sensed the intangible energy beginning to wane.
This was no cause for relief. The Hell Duke’s laughter carried a magical power that no one could resist. His presence swelled so massively that, except for him, nothing else seemed to exist. The sight of users collapsing all around confirmed it. The Hell Duke had finally unleashed a part of his true form.
Then, at some point—
“…You’re trying quite hard, I see.”
The Hell Duke abruptly stopped laughing and looked at my brother with indifferent eyes. I couldn’t help but notice the blood trickling from my brother’s clenched mouth.
“I’ll give you credit for your spirit. But you’re less entertaining than I expected.”
With that, the Hell Duke slowly raised his hand, aiming at my brother.
Rumble!
His hand was soon engulfed in blazing crimson flames.
At that moment, a shock like being struck by lightning ran through my entire body.
That energy…
The Calamity Fire of Hell, known as Jongmi’s Flame.
Maybe because it contained the essence of fire, I could feel its overwhelming destructive power more clearly than the first time. No matter how strong my brother’s Thunder God power was, he couldn’t withstand this. If left unchecked, he would surely die.
Thinking that, I finally stood up. Before I could even decide what to do, my body surged forward, charging at the Hell Duke who was floating in midair.
“Uh, huh?”
The Hell Duke’s face twisted slightly in surprise as he looked at me. I spread my arms wide and lunged, intending to buy some time.
Thud!
Unexpectedly, the Hell Duke didn’t resist at all. He allowed me to grab him tightly, to pull him down from the air, and to pin him to the ground.
His translucent crimson eyes stared at me quietly, a warm energy radiating from his body, his skin unbelievably soft to the touch. But I gritted my teeth and held onto my resolve.
For the first time in this second round, I shouted with desperation.
“Everyone, run!”
“Su-Suhyun?”
Since I was on the ground, I couldn’t see what was happening around me. But I recognized that surprised voice—it was my brother.
“Run! I said run!”
“O-Oppa! What are you talking about? How can we just…!”
Kim Han-byul’s voice rang out. I wanted to slap her and force her to leave, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t meet the gaze of the being watching me with such interest. I squeezed my eyes shut and held the Hell Duke tighter.
“Please, just once, listen to me! The being summoned now is on a whole different level! It’s the kind of entity that can take down someone like Kushan Thor in a single second if it wants to!”
“Mercenary Lord, calm down. Let’s all stay calm and get out of here quickly!”
I heard gasps all around, then Han So-young’s voice. I grimaced. Damn, Han So-young was here too. Of course, she came because my brother was here, but the situation was dire.
“There’s no time to explain. Please…!”
“You…”
Just as I shouted, the Hell Duke, who had been quietly watching me from beneath, suddenly spoke in a calm voice. I instinctively fell silent.
“You’re truly… truly strange.”
When I opened my eyes slightly, I saw the Hell Duke staring at me with a flushed face. There was no hostility, but the tension didn’t fade.
“Normally, I’d be satisfied only after breaking your neck for daring to lay a hand on me…”
Suddenly, I felt a soft touch near my throat. The Hell Duke had reached out and placed both hands gently around my neck. I flinched for a moment, but there was no crushing grip. Instead, his hands slowly moved to cup my cheeks tenderly.
“Strangely enough, when you hold me like this, I don’t feel uncomfortable at all. In fact, I find myself missing it—and even feeling a flutter of excitement.”
Then, in a sultry whisper, you lower your hand and gently brush it down my cheek. The tender touch, laced with a bittersweet emotion, leaves me momentarily speechless. It’s only a fleeting instant, but I can sense a lonely feeling emanating from the Hell Duke.
“Tell me,” he says, “why does your touch corrupt my mind with lust and ignite my body with desire?”
…Honestly, I have no idea what he’s talking about.
Still, the Hell Duke flashes a seductive smile.
“Ha ha. You’re full of questions but still refuse to answer. Well, I suppose I can’t just kill you… How frustratingly annoying.”
“……”
“Anyway, you’re worth talking to.”
“……?”
“Though I don’t like that we’re playing into their hands, for the sake of smooth communication, I’ll have to start by cleaning up. Wait here a moment.”
“……!”
The moment I hear that, I feel a surge of power in my eyes.
But before I can fully gather my wits, the Hell Duke vanishes from sight—and a heavy weight presses down on my chest. Suddenly, he’s risen and is stomping on my chest, radiating a murderous aura in all directions. Only then do I realize what he meant by ‘cleaning up.’
Krrrrrrrrrrr!
From his raised fingertips, the energy of Hell’s Flame begins to gather at an incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, a blazing sun ignites in midair. The destruction unleashed is beyond anything I’ve seen before. The ground is ripped apart as if carpet-bombed, and shattered wastelands rise and whirl through the air.
At the same time, desperate cries echo from all around. Just the fact that the Hell Duke has shown even a hint of sincerity has shattered the morale of over ten thousand users.
Only now do I face reality and finally clear my head. There’s no time to hesitate. If I slip up, I could lose the two most important people in my life. The goal I’ve chased for thirteen years could vanish in an instant.
I know it’s hopeless. The Hell Duke is powerful enough to crush even me with ease.
But I have to survive. No—I have to keep them alive. Even if I’m facing an opponent who could kill me the moment I attack, I have to find a way.
So… I don’t want to fight, but I must.
With that resolve, my mind suddenly goes blank. Instinctively, I activate the Otherworldly Shift and break free from the Hell Duke’s grasp. The suffocating pressure on my chest lifts, and I spot him about ten meters away.
Even though I escaped, the Hell Duke shows no reaction. He’s confident. Hell’s Flame, like Hwajeong’s power, is a mythic-level force that grants him the authority to choose his target.
Just as I’m about to draw on Hwajeong’s power—
‘…’
For a brief moment, doubt flickers in my mind.
But it doesn’t last more than a second. At this point, I have only two choices: live together or die together. It’s all or nothing.
As the Hell Duke moves to strike—
Fwoosh, crackle!
I finally summon Hwajeong’s power into my fist.
“…Huh?”
The Hell Duke freezes mid-swing, startled.
—Fool.
I think I hear Hwajeong’s voice somewhere, but I ignore it and charge forward. I have to stop the Hell Duke before that blazing sun comes crashing down.
Moments later, the Hell Duke turns to face me. Judging by his expression, I’m certain he’s sensed Hwajeong’s power too. His usual arrogant smirk is gone, replaced by wide eyes filled with disbelief—a look I’ve never seen before, not even in the first round.
“You, you…!”
He shouts in surprise, but the distance between us has already closed. Without hesitation, I throw my burning shoulder forward. The Hell Duke stumbles back, and I pour every ounce of strength I have into a punch.
“Wait, hold on—!”
Thwack!
My fist lands squarely on the Hell Duke’s face with brutal force.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Hmm…
I read through the comments yesterday, and a thought suddenly struck me.
It seems like readers keep imagining me as a woman, so maybe I should play along from now on.
For example, some might picture me as a sultry older sister, others as a sassy peer, and still others as a cute, lovable little sister. By doing this, I plan to give you all the same kind of mental breakdown I’ve been having.
Why didn’t I think of this sooner? Ha ha ha!
Look forward to it (?).