Creak… creak…
A slightly strong gust of wind rattled the loose door at the entrance.
Thud.
Baek Han-gyeol carefully closed the door, took a quiet, deep breath, and glanced around. The space was about 60 pyeong (roughly 2,000 square feet), formed by joining several rooms together. A large table that could easily seat twenty people caught his eye. Around it sat the users—thirteen in total.
As Baek Han-gyeol studied them closely, an inexplicable sense of intimidation crept over him. He instinctively hunched his shoulders and tiptoed to an empty chair, lowering himself cautiously.
A cold chill hung in the inn’s air. With so many people gathered, one might expect some warmth from their collective presence, but instead, a sharp, biting atmosphere prevailed. Everyone sat silently, lips sealed tight, making the room feel even colder—as if speaking out of turn was forbidden.
Slowly scanning the room, Baek Han-gyeol’s gaze settled on three figures. While most users bore the emblem of a sword and shield symbolizing the Mercenary Guild on their chests, these three displayed different insignias.
First, to the right of Kim Soo-hyun, who sat with eyes closed and arms crossed, was a man with a refined air. He wore a large, jet-black mage’s coat that covered his entire body, the collar turned up slightly. Perched on his shoulder was a golden bird resembling a hawk.
Baek Han-gyeol knew this man well. He had seen him dozens, if not hundreds, of times before. Among all the mages of the Northern Continent, this user was considered one of the very best—especially unmatched in the domain of lightning magic.
‘Thunder Emperor’ Kim Yoo-hyun.
To Kim Soo-hyun’s left sat a giant, the largest figure in the inn. He carried himself with heavy presence, his leather armor so taut it seemed sculpted from muscle rather than hide.
His eyes were hidden beneath thick, unkempt hair, but his scarred mouth occasionally moved in a low growl, revealing a wild, beast-like nature. He looked less like a man and more like a feral creature.
Baek Han-gyeol also recognized this giant. The ominous black spear he clutched tightly was a dead giveaway.
‘Master of the Asura Demon Spear’ Gong Chan-ho.
Finally, across from them on the right sat a woman. Unlike the two men, she didn’t carry a heavy aura. Instead, her expressions shifted constantly—smirking slyly at someone, glaring as if ready to kill.
At first, Baek Han-gyeol wondered who she was glaring at. But when he saw Ko Yeon-ju silently returning her gaze, he finally put the pieces together.
‘Princess of Executions’ Yeon Hye-rim.
He hadn’t recognized her at first, but thinking back, he recalled she was a top-tier user, ranked in the top ten for some time. He’d even crossed paths with her once or twice at the User Academy. The way she locked eyes with Ko Yeon-ju left no doubt. He vaguely remembered Ko Yeon-ju once calling Yeon Hye-rim the “Princess of Rags” in a rare moment of insult.
Ko Yeon-ju chuckled softly, pinching her nose and shaking her head—a clear gesture implying a foul smell, mocking Yeon Hye-rim as a rag. The latter snapped back, grinding her teeth and slamming her hand on the table just as Baek Han-gyeol stammered, unsure how to react.
Buzz!
Suddenly, a faint surge of magical energy broke the dawn’s silence.
At once, Ko Yeon-ju and Yeon Hye-rim froze, then calmly focused as if nothing had happened. Surprised by their swift change in demeanor, Baek Han-gyeol quickly fixed his eyes on the table. In the center of the cracked wooden surface lay a glowing blue orb, radiating a soft light.
Kim Soo-hyun, who had just opened his eyes, quietly placed his hand on the orb.
Flash!
The orb burst with light, illuminating someone. After a moment, the face of an intelligent-looking woman, slightly weary, appeared clearly. Baek Han-gyeol gasped inwardly. He didn’t know her well, but he was aware she was the highest-ranking user in the Central Administration.
Soon after, Lee Hyo-eul scanned the surroundings and whistled sharply.
(Wow… this is no joke. They could easily take down one or two large clans.)
“Hmph. They begged me so much to help. Honestly, I’m not the type to get involved in this kind of thing, but since So-young asked, I reluctantly stepped up.”
Yeon Hye-rim said with a haughty tone, puffing herself up.
Kim Soo-hyun smiled faintly to himself. He had indeed contacted Low of Istanbul, but he had originally intended to bring Han So-young, not Yeon Hye-rim. He had mustered some courage and suggested they handle the outlaws together to relieve some stress from recent troubles.
However, Han So-young politely declined, saying she was too busy lately, and instead asked if Yeon Hye-rim could be brought along. “She’s practically useless for the city’s development, so I want to keep her occupied somehow. Please,” she added. Of course, Yeon Hye-rim probably didn’t see herself that way.
(Good. Very good. With this kind of firepower, those outlaws might as well mourn.)
“We just made sure to prepare thoroughly. By the way, what’s the intel?”
Kim Soo-hyun asked lightly, summarizing. Lee Hyo-eul nodded but looked apologetic.
(Well… we just barged into the temple and asked around. So far, about 1,500 users have been confirmed in the ‘Black Forest’ on the Western Continent. Around 400 are being chased, about 500 are chasing, and the number of outlaws pursuing them is roughly double that.)
“About a hundred each, huh… I was hoping they’d go wild, but this is a bit disappointing. Heh heh…”
At that moment, Gong Chan-ho, who had been quietly listening, bared his yellowed teeth in a grin. Kim Soo-hyun exhaled deeply.
“Can’t be helped. Most have fled to the Southern Continent. So, they’re in the Black Forest?”
(Yeah. My guess is they’re using the same route the vagrants took during the last war.)
“Meaning they came through uncharted territory.”
(Exactly. That’s all the info we could get. Sorry.)
Lee Hyo-eul smiled bitterly, feeling sorry. As the one who took the request, it stung to have to practically beg for information.
But Kim Soo-hyun didn’t mind much. From the start, he felt this wasn’t about rescuing Western Continent users so much as fulfilling a duty. Seraph was the same. This request was just a condition to pass some agenda. After all, it was absurd to think an angel would act on behalf of users.
“This is enough. This guy can handle the distance and location.”
Kim Yoo-hyun smiled faintly and flicked the golden bird on his shoulder. The bird’s sharp eyes gleamed as it let out a low cry.
(Thanks for the help, and sorry again. Everyone, good luck.)
With Lee Hyo-eul’s respectful farewell, the orb’s light faded.
“Hmm…”
Kim Soo-hyun calmly tucked the orb away and scanned the room once more.
“Well… I guess everyone will handle things on their own.”
He seemed about to say more but shook his head and stood. Judging by their levels, he saw no need to give further orders.
There’s a saying in Hall Plain:
One well-trained user is worth ten ordinary ones.
But most of the users gathered here weren’t just well-trained—they were at the pinnacle. Just looking at Kim Soo-hyun alone, he could easily handle a hundred average users after a night of drinking.
Of course, not everyone was on that level. Kim Soo-hyun’s gaze lingered briefly on Ahn Hyun and Baek Han-gyeol. Perhaps deciding to trust them, he soon began pulling on a large gray robe from under the table. The others rose and donned identical gray robes. Baek Han-gyeol, flustered at first for not having one, brightened when Heo Jun-young casually handed him a robe.
Moments later, led by Kim Soo-hyun, the users filed out of the inn one by one.
“Then, let’s go.”
The fourteen users, cloaked in gray robes, slipped through the castle gates like the wind and vanished into the depths of the Black Forest.
Rustle, rustle!
The dim dawn.
The dark forest, shrouded in mist, was unusually restless—an odd bustle for such a quiet hour.
“Huff… huff…”
Suddenly, a woman emerged from the swaying bushes.
No, she wasn’t alone. She was just the vanguard. Soon, the bushes shook again as countless users began to appear, their numbers easily four or five hundred strong.
The users, including the woman, looked far from normal. Their hair was disheveled, barely tame. Dust clung to their bodies as if they hadn’t bathed in months. Their armor and robes were blackened and tattered—some looked more like rags than clothing.
“Almost… almost there now…”
But the woman kept walking relentlessly, murmuring in a faint, almost trance-like voice. Yet her eyes, fixed straight ahead without wavering, held an inscrutable, solemn determination.
Then, suddenly—
“Sarah! Saaaraaa!”
A desperate shout came flying from behind, striking the woman’s back. The woman called Sarah didn’t stop walking, but she glanced back briefly. A man with brown hair was sprinting toward her, hair flying wildly. A flicker of confusion crossed Sarah’s face.
“Arnold?”
“Sarah, Sarah! It’s serious! Really serious… ugh!”
At that moment, the man called Arnold suddenly collapsed hard onto the ground. It looked like he’d tripped while rushing over. Sarah’s expression tightened with concern, but she turned and hurried toward him.
“Arnold? Are you okay? What happened?”
“W-well… ugh!”
Arnold tried to speak but clenched his teeth in pain. His ankle was swollen and bright red. Startled, Sarah opened her mouth to say something, but Arnold shook his head firmly.
“Sa-Sarah! It’s bad! Someone’s fallen behind! We’ve got a straggler!”
“Huh?”
Sarah’s eyes widened, and she bit her lower lip. Then she quickly scanned the area around them, as if expecting someone to be chasing them.
Arnold gritted his teeth and spoke through the pain.
“It’s not an attack. I think they just got worn out from the forced marches and fell behind somewhere. They’re definitely lost.”
“Arnold, as much as it pains me, there’s nothing we can do. Our situation isn’t good right now.”
“Sarah…”
“No. I never thought they’d chase us this far, but remember, just two days ago, we almost got caught.”
“B-but…”
“We were lucky to escape then, but we can’t count on luck again. If we delay even a little, I can’t guarantee what’ll happen next. So get up. Now.”
Sarah spoke quickly but clearly, her beautiful golden eyes shining fiercely with unwavering resolve—not a trace of turning back.
Arnold struggled to his feet, wincing, his face heavy with sadness.
“Sarah…”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Today was a bit of a sad day.
Sometimes, very rarely, I find myself singing while writing. Like today.
“Can you believe it~? That in my dreams~ You’re a princess under a spell~!”
As I was singing, my mother suddenly called me.
“Yujin…”
“Always~. In every gesture toward you~. There are countless hardships~~~~. Huh?”
“I’m sorry…”
“Sorry? For what?”
“Mom’s sorry…”
“????”
“Mom’s really sorry……”
“……”
Then my older brother suddenly came striding over.
“Yeah. Hey. I’m sorry too.”
“No, why all of a sudden? Don’t tell me to stop singing—I was singing quietly.”
“No, I’m sorry. Really sorry. I’m sorry.”
“……”
…In my life, that was only the second time I’ve ever heard my brother say sorry. I was completely stunned.
Anyway, I learned something good today.
Next time, if I get the chance, I’m going to sing “Kiss Kiss” right at the door before he leaves for work. Ha ha ha.