NOVEL NEXT Chapter 63
Veins bulged red on his forehead as the excited guy charged at Lee Hyun.
He stepped forward and clashed with the guy’s blade. The impact sent magic rippling through the air like sparks.
“Dirty wizards! You filthy pig-like creatures who discriminate and oppress ordinary people! Today, I’ll take your head…!”
The guy spat as he jabbered on, but Lee Hyun didn’t listen to a word. He just thought if there was a script somewhere, it wouldn’t be surprising, considering he was spouting the exact same lines as the scum from the northeast.
He dodged the guy’s attacks and assessed his skills. For all the blabbering, the guy didn’t seem all that impressive. After just one exchange, Lee Hyun could gauge his level.
Probably just some debris that barely survived mutation.
Lee Hyun tightened his arm and deflected the guy’s blade. Then he infused particles into his own blade and stabbed it into the guy’s gut before slicing it upwards.
“Gack…!”
The warlock’s upper body, along with his head, split apart with a crack and fell lifelessly onto the barricade with a thud.
Lee Hyun turned to check on Yeon Minha. She was trembling slightly at the sight of the mangled body of the dark wizard, which she had protected with barrier magic as she scanned their surroundings.
“Ugh…”
“Are you okay, senpai?”
But she quickly composed herself and nodded slightly.
“…Yeah.”
“We should move. Stay close to me.”
Yeon Minha nodded, and they lowered their bodies, retracing their steps down the barricade stairs.
–Craak…!
–Boom! Bam!
–Thud! Crash…!
In the city center, screams and explosions echoed loudly. The sight was shrouded in a crimson haze, intensifying the feeling of unknown terror.
“Wha—What’s up with that… red guy?”
Trying to distract herself from the fear, Yeon Minha shook her head and asked in a small voice.
“It’s just what they call dark wizards. Magic turns red, you know.”
Sa Jaehyeok had used that expression so often that it had stuck in Lee Hyun’s memory.
–Crash!
–Pssss…
With the vibrations drawing closer, dust from the gaps in the barricade crumbled and fell on their heads.
“Hey… about what that dark wizard said… about the oppression…”
“No need to pay attention to such nonsense. I’ve seen enough of their kind. They’ll blame others even if they trip over their own feet.”
“Still…”
“It’s just filthy self-rationalization. Just look at what these chatterboxes have done.”
Lee Hyun spat out his answer. These were the very types he hated and loathed the most.
–Thud!
–Tatata…!
“Support… support…! Gack!”
“Help me… Aaaaah…!”
The once vibrant city, filled with the smell of freshly baked bread until morning, now felt like the bottom of hell.
Just as they turned the corner, figures with red eyes ambushed them. As Lee Hyun decapitated one, Yeon Minha used flickering flames to roast the other.
They pressed on along the wall towards the area where the guest rooms were located.
–Pssss…
–Creeeer…
–Thud!
What they heard was not just explosions and screams. There was something low and growling, something slamming massive teeth together, something that sounded like wings rustling.
Sounds that could never come from a human mixed with the mist and seeped out from all sides.
“Gah… help… help…!”
As someone cried out for help, he suddenly vanished as if pulled into the ground. Where the sound had faded, a sewer entrance or an open manhole was always lurking. This situation seemed to repeat itself several times as they retraced their steps.
“…Ugh.”
Suddenly, Yeon Minha grimaced and glanced to the side. It was the place where she had bought a loaf of bread earlier. But now, it was just a devastated wreck with someone’s blood seeping out.
–Creeeer…
Suddenly, a massive creature rushed at them. The red glow of the monstrosity’s eyes revealed it had been tamed by the dark wizard’s magic.
Lee Hyun dodged a heavy swing of its front paw and plunged his blade into the beast’s heart.
With a thud, a beast covered in fur and abnormally developed fangs collapsed before them.
–Thud!
“Senpai, any sign of life?”
“…Nothing in the area. The spirits’ sight is completely obscured.”
“What about the crows?”
“I’ve called for them, but… no response.”
After taking down the monstrosity, Lee Hyun asked, but Yeon Minha shook her head.
Soon, they stumbled upon the lifeless body of someone sprawled on the ground.
Lee Hyun recognized the face immediately. It was the governor they had chatted with just yesterday, now lying in a pitiful state alongside several others who seemed to be his aides.
All had visible signs of magical damage, indicating they had been attacked from behind. It looked like they’d tried to leave abruptly due to the unexpected crisis.
“This person is…”
Yeon Minha, recognizing him, bit her lip. Her face went pale as a ghost. The death of the governor indicated that the situation was spiraling into chaos.
Lee Hyun walked closer and examined the area. He took off the enchanted gloves of a woman who seemed to have a similar build to Yeon Minha and handed them to her.
“Put these on.”
“How… did you strip them from a corpse…?”
“That’s not important. Even if it’s a corpse’s gear, it’s better than just a dress, right?”
“…Aren’t you scared? We might die if we’re not careful…”
“I’ve already come close to death once. The fear of dying is no longer in me. I’m more afraid of not being able to do what needs to be done.”
…”
It sounded like there was something he had to do even if it meant dying. It also felt as though he regretted not accomplishing it before. Before she could ask what he needed to do now, she halted.
However, Lee Hyun’s calm demeanor gave her a strange sense of trust, helping her regain some composure. She put on the enchanted gloves over her dress, straightened herself, and moved forward.
As they took care of the charging monsters and remnants of dark wizards, they finally returned to the area where the guest rooms were.
It seemed battles had occurred nearby too, as guards and unidentified corpses lay scattered around.
The students barricading the main entrance nearly shot a magic blast but breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Yeon Minha.
“…What about the others?”
“…This is all that’s left.”
As Yeon Minha looked around, a second-year female student replied hesitantly. About 30% of the students who had gone on the mission were missing. The few remaining were bandaged up with blood streaming from their heads and limbs.
Yeon Minha’s face darkened significantly. The faces of other students who heard about the governor’s death turned ghostly pale.
Then, Cheon Joo-im from Hosuhanong, who had been guiding them, approached and sighed in relief when he saw Yeon Minha. He looked like he had just come out of an intense battle, with torn clothes and dry blood crusted on his glasses.
“Miss…! I’m so glad you’re okay. I thought you were in trouble. Are you hurt…?”
“…I’m fine. More importantly, what’s the situation now?”
“…I’m sorry. We’re still trying to figure it out. We don’t even know what this is…”
The man replied, looking flustered.
“But this isn’t the place to stay. The terrain here isn’t suitable for defense. I’ve arranged transport, so you need to move quickly…”
Following his guidance, the students began to dismantle the barricade and prepare to leave. But Lee Hyun’s instincts kept warning him of danger.
His thoughts were filled with suspicion. This was clearly a carefully orchestrated ambush designed to lower their guard over years.
The governor had been killed from a surprise attack from behind.
The weather magic tower that emitted crimson mist instead of rain.
The traces of monsters that came through the sewers and opened manholes they had encountered on the way.
Considering all the circumstances up to now, it was evident that there were collaborators inside.
According to Yeon Minha, the organization managing the agricultural waterways and sewers was the private army of the company that had entrusted her with the mission.
Though someone else was originally responsible for this mission, it had suddenly fallen to this man due to an unforeseen accident.
Yeon Minha had been too scatterbrained to notice but all the risks that had occurred thus far had been tied to that well-meaning-looking guy with glasses.
“…”
Lee Hyun glanced at Cheon Joo-im. He hesitated for a moment but soon reached a decision.
In such urgent situations, it’s essential to confirm these matters.
He approached Cheon Joo-im, who was busy directing the students, and spoke up.
“Alright, students, hurry… Yoo Jin-hyun? What brings you here…?”
“Could you wash my blade with ‘Vibrant Raindrop’ just this once? The others seem too exhausted to help.”
“What?”
“I’d really appreciate it. The blade has gotten dull due to the environment.”
“Haha, just a moment. But…”
If he had mentioned particle exhaustion was a danger, Lee Hyun would have been less suspicious. But the hesitation to skillfully dodge the question only deepened his doubts. The item on the right wrist indicated he was a wizard as well.
And ‘Vibrant Raindrop’ was a simple spell that required a minimal amount of particles, allowing even incompetent wizards to employ it. There was no reason to refuse the request of one of the few remaining battle-ready fighters in this situation unless…
He wasn’t capable of using basic spells at all.
In an instant, he put more weight on one side of the scale. It was better to risk unknown danger than to regret later.
He swiftly drew his blade and swung it towards Cheon Joo-im’s right shoulder, aiming for the area where the particle distributor was attached. It wouldn’t be fatal, but it would incapacitate him from using magic for the time being.
–Boom!
“What, what are you doing…!”
Sudden chaos erupted around them. Dust flew, and shockwaves sent objects tumbling and breaking. Lee Hyun gritted his teeth. The sound of the blade hitting someone’s shoulder was not a normal one.
“…Ha.”
From beyond the blade, a scoffing, mocking sigh could be heard. As the dust settled, the blade’s tip, stuck in the crimson, sizzling barrier, came into view.
The friendly-looking guy with glasses no longer existed.
Only a dark wizard, exuding a chilling yet fiery gaze, remained, wearing an expression as if eyeing his prey.
“Ah, you are quite the sharp one, huh? How did you figure it out?”