Chapter 167: Baek Ahyeong Strategy (1)

Baek Ahyeong Strategy (1)

“Haa...” Exhausted from hours of conversations, Baek Ahyeong had retreated to a quiet corner for a brief respite.

Just as she took a sip of her drink, the unmistakable sound of an explosion shattered the atmosphere, signaling the onset of a terrorist attack. Thankfully, she wasn’t alone—a male hunter was with her, but...

“Miss Ahyeong, run!”

The male hunter was quickly overwhelmed, his body pierced by an onslaught of demonic forces. Their sheer numbers were far beyond what her healing abilities could contend with.

“R-Run—”

After incapacitating the now-flesh hunter, the demons shifted their focus to Baek Ahyeong. Panicking, she tried to escape but found herself surrounded by dozens of demonic entities.

In a swift move, a leading demon lunged at her from behind, tearing at her clothes.

“Ah, ahh! No!”

Her body was slashed by razor-sharp claws, leaving a grievous wound.

“Ahh... Ah...” She plopped down, desperately trying to heal her injuries. She knew she had to escape, yet the encroaching demons gave her no respite.

Is this... how it ends?

Overwhelmed with regret for things left undone, she found herself surrounded by the advancing demons.

If I’d known, I would have confessed...

Realizing it might be her last moment, her thoughts turned solely to Lee Hoyeon.

“I don’t want to die... Hoyeon...” she murmured as the demons closed in.

“Grrrrgh! Grrrgh!”

“S-Saint... Kill...”

As the demons reached out, she felt the weight of impending doom. She squeezed her eyes shut, but was surprised to find her dark surroundings suddenly illuminated by a piercing light that seemed to penetrate even through closed lids.

Slowly, she opened her eyes.

“Argh... Akkkkhhhh!”

Dozens of demons before her were now ablaze.

“Miss Ahyeong, don’t die on me now. I’m here.”

Turning, she saw Lee Hoyeon, his relaxed smile contrasting starkly with his sweat-soaked appearance, as if he had rushed to her aid.

“I came to save you. I’m not late, am I?”

Baek Ahyeong felt a surge of emotion unlike any before. Despite the gravity of the situation, she managed to stifle a confession. Though regret filled her, she knew now was not the time.

***

“Stay still. It’ll be over soon.”

Ahyeong’s wound was severe; bones were visible through the torn fabric on her back. However, with her skills, she could handle it. The wounds would heal quickly.

Sizzle—Crackle—

After reducing the demons to burning corpses, I focused on her. “Ahyeong, are you okay? Take your time to heal.”

With most immediate threats neutralized, I could guide her to safety.

Wait, what’s this nagging feeling?

“Uh, Hoyeon, thank—”

Swoosh—!

My heartbeat quickened. Something flew into my field of vision.

Thunk—!

Fortunately, I quickly blocked it with Cotton Guard. But the intended target wasn’t me; it was Baek Ahyeong. Then, a figure wearing a grotesque skull mask emerged, wielding a razor-sharp sword.

“Arrggh! Why does this always happen to me?!”

This enemy was different; even the aura surpassed the earlier subpar demons. My heart raced, and anticipation tensed my body.

Can I... win this?

I gritted through the pain and unleashed a blast of frost magic. Given that I’d gone all out, the skull-masked figure froze on contact.

Unable to freeze their stronger body, I targeted their suit instead. However, judging by the twitching, they’d break free soon—resistant to ice, after all.

Just 8 seconds remaining!

I funneled all my remaining mana into my right hand. No point in holding back; if this attack failed, it would be over anyway.

Fwoom—

Wind magic swirled and condensed above my hand into a sphere.

Having depleted every ounce of mana, fatigue overcame me, and my vision blurred—a clear sign of mana exhaustion. But I gritted my teeth and moved closer to the skull mask.

Three seconds left.

My limbs shook uncontrollably, but I couldn’t afford to miss this opening.

Bam—! My fully charged Spiral struck the heart. Ice melted from the suit as they swung their sword downward. But the blade never reached me; it halted near my shoulder, and they froze in place.

“Kkkrrkh...” A faint groan groan escaped the previously silent skull mask, which then collapsed to the ground.

Thud— With a hole in their chest, the skull mask fell apart. And just like that, I too dropped to my knees.

“Hoyeon!”

My head was spinning. The 10-second window for Blood Beat had already passed, leaving me with unbearable, agonizing pain.

I probably won’t be able to fight for a while... The after-effects seem like they’ll linger.

Thud—

I collapsed, unable to control my body. Baek Ahyeong hurried over, burying her face in my chest as she sobbed.

“No... Why...”

A warm light enveloped me, soothing my pain. Still, the combination of mana depletion and the after effects of Blood Beat made recovery challenging. Even with Ahyeong’s healing skills, repairing my severely damaged mana circuit would be difficult.

“It’s okay... You’ll get better soon...”

Sob—Sniff—

Seeing Ahyeong cry while healing me left me more puzzled than grateful.

The quest isn’t complete?

The quest completion notification didn’t appear. The fact that it remained incomplete even after saving Ahyeong indicated the threat was still looming.

Shh—Swoosh—

Suddenly, a demon among the bodies, before facing the skull-masked figure, hurled a dagger. Its immediate collapse afterward suggested it was a desperate final move.

“Damn it...!”

With no mana left, I couldn’t even use Cotton Guard to block it. While Ahyeong wouldn’t die from a single dagger, I instinctively pulled her close.

“Huh?”

Using her weight, I swapped our positions.

Stab—

Fortunately, the dagger barely pierced my back.

“Argh...”

But the pain was intense, as if the dagger were coated with some sort of toxin. It stung as much as when I’d intentionally let an ogre hit me before.

[Quest Completed!]

This game has some nerve...

The quest completion notification popping up right after getting hit felt like a cruel joke.

“W-Why, why did you take the hit for me?!” Ahyeong’s voice trembled. Seeing the dagger in my back, she amplified her healing, but I knew.

Oh, I’m about to pass out. I know my body well. I can’t endure this any longer.

“It wouldn’t have been dangerous for me to get hit. But why did you...?!”