Suhyeon’s Madness ------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Haaa…”
As the creature opened its mouth, a chilling aura spread through the air, prickling my skin. But I didn’t slow down. Every monster we’d encountered on the second floor so far had been nothing but fakes. Even if this one was a Knight of the Lost Souls, it was likely using some trickery. I remained calm, knowing the difference between the real deal and a counterfeit. Well, except for Gigas.
Sensing my unusual intensity, the creature raised its shield and swung its sword. A dark blue energy emanated from the blade, slicing through the air toward me. But such a straightforward attack was never going to work on me.
If the goal was to gain experience, they would have called Ahn Hyun. I felt a bit sorry for Yoo Jung, but I had already decided to end this fight quickly.
With a swift slash, I cut through the energy with the power of a Sword Specialist. The light inside the creature’s helmet flared even brighter.
We clashed head-on. I intended to break through its shield with sheer force, but as I saw the dark energy seeping into the shield, I frowned.
Then, from behind, I heard Jeong Ha-yeon chanting a spell.
“Ice Cannon!”
Ice Cannon was a high-level water spell. She must have cast it to clear the shield before I charged in. A long, icy path formed, striking the creature’s shield directly.
Crackle! Crackle!
“Ah…?”
The dark energy on the creature’s shield and Jeong Ha-yeon’s Ice Cannon clashed, sparks flying. But it was short-lived. The tug-of-war ended with the Ice Cannon being absorbed into the shield. The Knight of the Lost Souls had absorbed her magic.
Those lab guys really come up with the weirdest things. I heard Jeong Ha-yeon’s puzzled voice, but I focused on my next move. Whatever trick the creature had, it wouldn’t matter once the shield was gone.
Crack!
This time, I put real strength into it, and the Knight couldn’t hold onto its shield. Though it had no expression, I could sense its surprise. As the shield flew into the air, the Ice Cannon shot toward the ceiling, and I couldn’t help but smile. So it tried to turn my attack back on me. Annoyed, I channeled magic into my sword and struck its chest hard.
“Haaa…!”
The creature’s chest armor caved in, and it staggered back. Yoo Jung seized the opportunity, darting forward to pursue the retreating knight.
“Ha!”
Tch. This time, she didn’t make that odd battle cry. Anyway, the Knight of the Lost Souls slammed into the wall, its guard down without the shield. Yoo Jung immediately unleashed her flurry of dagger strikes, a technique she had shown before.
“Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!”
Her voice was a mix of laughter and battle cries as she swung her daggers like a storm. It wasn’t as precise as Ahn Hyun’s single, deep thrusts, but against a disarmed opponent, it was effective.
After confirming the creature’s state, I sheathed my sword and turned around. Our companions, who had been watching, stared at me with wide eyes. Even Vivian, who had been casting a spell, tilted her head in surprise.
“Hyung.”
“What?”
“Uh… isn’t there still a monster…?”
“Hmm? It should be over.”
As I spoke nonchalantly and turned my head, the Knight of the Lost Souls let out a mournful cry and crumbled. I had destroyed its core during our first clash, delivering a massive internal shock.
I shrugged and turned back to see my companions looking at Yoo Jung and me with disbelief. It couldn’t be helped. To speed up our progress, we had to sacrifice some of their experience.
“Yay! I took it down! Did you see that, Ahn Hyun?”
Feeling a bit better, Yoo Jung cheered and jumped around. Jeong Ha-yeon sighed, and Shin Sang-yong followed suit. But they seemed to have some understanding, as they didn’t say anything further. Ahn Hyun, however, was different.
“This is ridiculous!”
“Hmm?”
I looked at Ahn Hyun, surprised by his sudden complaint.
“Hyung!”
“What?”
I replied coldly, and Ahn Hyun shouted at me with fiery eyes.
“Yoo Jung didn’t do it! You did all the work, and she just got the last hit!”
“Hmm… and so?”
When I asked back, Ahn Hyun’s face brightened. He turned to Yoo Jung with a knowing smile.
“See? Even hyung says so. You just got the last hit and now you’re bragging.”
”…”
I had momentarily forgotten their true nature. But it wasn’t a problem for me, so I just sighed. Jeong Ha-yeon looked between us with a complicated expression.
On one hand, she seemed incredulous, but on the other, there was a hint of sympathy.
“Why do you look at us like that?”
”…It must be tough raising kids.”
“Haha… ha.”
I gave a bitter smile, and Jeong Ha-yeon finally smiled lightly. Meanwhile, Ahn Hyun and Yoo Jung continued their bickering.
“No way! Didn’t you see my dazzling dagger skills?”
“Dazzling, my foot. You just swung wildly.”
“Pfft. At least I don’t dance around with a spear like someone.”
Was she referring to the time we fought the giant on the first floor? Ahn Hyun had almost dropped his spear back then, and it seemed she was teasing him about it. Ahn Hyun’s face turned red, remembering the incident.
The two of them started hurling words at each other again, with the occasional curse thrown in.
The atmosphere was unnecessarily tense. Had they ignored my earlier words? I was about to raise my voice when…
“Enough!”
Suddenly, An Sol stepped forward and shouted. Her outburst silenced Ahn Hyun and Yoo Jung instantly. They were shocked by the usually quiet An Sol’s angry shout. She thought she looked fierce, but to me, her pursed lips were just adorable.
“What are you two doing? Don’t you remember what Suhyeon oppa said earlier?”
“Well… that…”
Mentioning me made them glance at me and then hang their heads. They had nothing to say. I crossed my arms and decided to watch. They never listened to me, but maybe being scolded by someone younger would have an impact.
“We’re in the middle of an exploration. If you keep ruining the mood, it’ll be difficult for me, Suhyeon oppa, and the two mages. Don’t you realize that the more you act like this, the more you tarnish the reputation of Suhyeon oppa, the leader of our caravan?”
Wow. She speaks well. She’s not usually this articulate. Had she been waiting for the right moment?
Though they looked frustrated, they couldn’t deny Sol’s words. Yoo Jung, unwilling to back down, spoke in a sulky voice.
“But… Ahn Hyun keeps picking fights with me. I fought hard too…”
Sol nodded solemnly, acknowledging her point. But who was she to give such acknowledgment?
“Yes, Ahn Hyun oppa was wrong about that.”
“Hey, she started bragging to me first.”
“That’s not it. You overreacted. Would it be so hard to just praise her once?”
Sol’s words made Yoo Jung’s face fall. She had intended to tease, but Sol’s defense left her speechless. If she admitted to teasing now, she’d be the one in trouble.
Ahn Hyun, shocked that Sol didn’t take his side, looked dazed before turning his head away.
“Ha. There’s nothing to praise. I can’t. I won’t. There’s nothing to praise, so why should I?”
“Sigh… oppa, that’s not it.”
Yoo Jung was about to retort, but Sol stepped in again.
“She just wants your praise. You always criticize Yoo Jung unnie but never say anything nice.”
”…”
Despite everything, Ahn Hyun remained silent. Sol approached him with a gentle, motherly smile and softly took his hand. Although Ahn Hyun didn’t turn to look at her, he didn’t pull away either. It was a scene reminiscent of a mother comforting her child, and the rest of the group fell into a respectful silence.
With infinite tenderness, Sol used her free hand to gently stroke his hair.
“They say even whales are moved by dance. If you dance, I’m sure Yujeong will… no, wait.”
“?”
Sol stopped mid-sentence, a question mark practically hovering over her head as she tilted it in confusion, realizing she might have misspoken.
We, who had been focused on Sol’s actions, suddenly felt a strange sense of discord, and soon we understood why.
“…….”
“…….”
A heavy silence descended upon the group. I closed my eyes, trying to suppress an inexplicable urge to laugh. It had been a long time since I’d struggled this much to keep a straight face.
Creak. Creak.
When I opened my eyes slightly, I saw that Jeong Ha-yeon was also pressing her lips tightly together, her teeth grinding audibly as she tried to hold back. Shin Sang-yong was in a similar state, his lips twitching. Only Vivian, who wasn’t from Earth, seemed puzzled, tilting her head. But Yujeong wasn’t known for her patience.
“Pfft.”
”…Ahem. I got a bit confused.”
“Pfft-kick!”
“Ahem, anyway, about Yujeong…”
“Ha ha ha ha!”
Yujeong couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. Sol tried to continue, but each time Yujeong’s laughter rang out, she faltered. The others managed to keep it together, but Yujeong was laughing so hard she was rolling on the floor, clutching her stomach. Sol’s face turned crimson, and she stammered out a protest.
“I-it was a mistake! S-stop laughing!”
“Ha! Dance, ha ha! Praise, ha ha ha!”
“S-stop laughing already!”
After laughing for a while, Yujeong suddenly stood up, grabbed two daggers, and started wiggling her hips in my direction. It was a ridiculous dance, but she giggled and spoke.
“This isn’t a dance. It’s praise for you, oppa. Ha ha ha!”
Yujeong’s single comment was the spark that set off a chain reaction of laughter.
“Ha ha ha ha ha!”
“Ha ha ha ha ha ha!”
Jeong Ha-yeon and Shin Sang-yong couldn’t hold back any longer and joined in the laughter. Even Ahn Hyun and I couldn’t help but laugh. The way Sol had tried to maintain a solemn atmosphere only to have it shattered by her own mistake was just too funny. Sol, her face flushed, tried to calm the situation, but when it became clear that the laughter wouldn’t stop, she burst into tears.
“Waaah!”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
Ah, it’s past 6 AM now. I didn’t expect to be tortured for this long. Ha ha ha. Thank you for all your comments.
Yes, I’ll try not to be swayed as I continue writing. (Thank you for your comment and message, hohokoya1.)
『 Reader Comments 』
IDI: Congratulations on being first! Ha ha. I hope you enjoy the 99th chapter as well.
Fabre: Thank you. Your support gives me strength. (__)
Williams: Thank you for your valuable advice. I realize it might feel a bit slow, but I’ll do my best to make each chapter enjoyable. Thank you. (__)
Toranoanal: Hmm. I was curious about Vivian’s video, so I looked it up. Hmm. Thank you. (?!)
Silvering Knight: No, no! It’s not true! Sob sob.
Aporia: Great! I’ll take it! Come here quickly… Sorry. ㅜ.ㅠ
GradeRown: Vivian is angry without realizing what she’s done. Bad Vivian! (?!)
Human Life: Wow. Pohang. That’s really far. Ha ha ha; I’ll take a short break after the 100th chapter and get right back to work. Honestly, I want to rest today, but knowing you’re waiting, I can’t. I’ll take a quick break, freshen up, and start on the 100th chapter! Fighting!
Yardman: I see! The conclusion is the author’s exploitation! Not a very good choice… Sob sob.
Hwiul: Yes. It’s possible. It’s troublesome when powers manifest at random times. Ha ha ha.
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