Saving My Favorite in a Doomed World

Cha Jaeha did not underestimate Yoo Hwasin. Moreover, the reason behind his leisurely personality was most likely due to his abilities.

 

One thing was certain: Jaeha had received help from him but had never once helped that guy. And he knew for sure that Yoo Hwashin would not lose.

 

This thought changed slightly because of what happened on the playground.

 

When Hwashin cast a verbal command. Cha Jaeha saw it. There was only one instance where the verbal command didn’t work properly.

 

A monster shaped like a toilet… It was merely an object imbued with mana, rather than a true monster.

 

From this, he was certain. That ability was not omnipotent.

 

“Dodge!”

 

So, this time too. There was a high possibility that Hwasin’s verbal command wouldn’t work on that body model. Cha Jaeha stretched out his hand. Whoosh. A strong flame burst from his hand, but the fire didn’t reach Hwasin. No, it didn’t need to… reach him.

 

Crack.

 

Struggle.

 

“…”

 

Struggle, struggle, struggle.

 

The moving spider model flailed its four legs, no, two arms and legs. Creak. The head caught in the grasp twisted.

 

With a loud noise, fragments exploded onto the floor. Hwashin lifted his foot and slammed it down on the model’s chest. Crack. The sound of the organ models shattering echoed everywhere. Without a moment to appreciate it, more models poured out.

 

Hwashin tore off the remaining arms and legs, throwing them to either side. Even though the last desperate struggle of the model looked pathetic, no one here cared.

 

“I worried for nothing.”

 

Jin said, tearing the vocal cords of one of the models. Jaeha’s fist, surrounded by flames, boldly pierced through the center of three models.

 

“…Indeed.”

 

“Ugh, I’m tired.”

 

Bang.

 

Hwashin dusted off his hands, looking at the mountain of models.

 

Fighting with them was more annoying than sparring!

 

He cracked his neck a few times and observed Cha Jaeha and Jin.

 

Body-enhancing magic.

 

Hwasin found using ‘this’ magic tiring, and the reason was simple.

 

Modifying his own results without cause was a very, very difficult task.

 

No magic book recorded this method. There were no inherited techniques for enhancing a mage’s physical abilities.

 

Mages mainly researched how to combine difficult magic formulas like double casting, and the bodies of magic swordsmen were trained through practice, not magic.

 

But! Hwashin hated making efforts!

 

He wanted to achieve results without effort! An efficient life! Wasn’t that why magic was created?

 

Magic was created by extremely efficient people,

 

and this magic was developed by the laziest of those efficient people.

 

Of course, he almost died countless times perfecting this, but it was easier than doing 100 push-ups.

 

Huh? You want to know?

 

…Even if you knew, you wouldn’t be able to do it.

 

Alright, alright. If you want to know, I’ll tell you.

 

First of all, the most important thing when manipulating karma was the thread and the law.

 

Hwashin, or rather Elric, was a living human who could see the threads. At the same time, he was a mage who could manipulate mana.

 

Though he had no talent in elemental magic and couldn’t handle the four elements, he excelled at shaping magic.

 

So, how to use this? He created a hand out of magic to pass through his body and inserted it inside. Then he found and entangled the threads.

 

Cutting, entangling, and intertwining repeatedly. Refine and repeate this process many times.

 

Thus, one result was completed.

 

Superhuman strength.

 

Jin whistled, welcoming the sight of Hwashin’s thin frame displaying superhuman strength.

 

“Last one.”

 

When Hwashin lightly nudged a human model with his foot, it flew backward with a whoosh.

 

Crash—!

 

With a loud noise, the model smashed into a pillar. The last model fell to the floor, trembling like a cockroach.

 

Even at a glance, there were over 30 piled up. How could so many models fit in one classroom?

 

Moreover…

 

‘There wasn’t this kind of interference in the original work.’

 

That was the most troubling part.

 

There were no such chaotic group fight scenes in the original story. They had to arrive on time. Hwashin tilted his head.

 

Had a ‘crack’ appeared? That was the only reason he could think of.

 

The wall clock hanging on the pillar was racing towards 12 o’clock.

 

‘They were sent almost at the right time.’

 

Originally, the whole SH1 unit should go together, but it seemed they wouldn’t be able to make it in time that way.

 

In the meantime, a cremation ceremony for the piled-up human models was being held. Jin stretched and asked in a low voice.

 

“Ugh— If we’re done, where should we go? Do you know where that fellow called Mueum went?”

 

Jin’s question was clearly directed at Hwashin.

 

“Well. Hmm, then shall we go outside for now? Usually, you can see the inside better from the outside, after all.”

 

Cha Jaeha didn’t respond, but the three of them headed toward the playground. As they moved, Hwashin carefully inspected the surroundings.

 

He didn’t bring Pii today, so he had to find the crack by himself.

 

Judging by the non-original event that happened earlier, there must be a broken part here too.

Hmm. Hwashin looked around, turning his head this way and that. Although that behavior was suspicious, Hwasin was always a suspicious fellow, so Cha Jaeha ignored it.

 

“Is it not here?”

 

By the time they returned to the first-floor lobby, he still hadn’t found the ‘gap’. No, there should be one around here. Feeling a slight tremor in the threads, Hwashin let out a groan.

 

No. I can definitely find it. I am a great mage…

 

“….Aha.”

 

Behind the long pendulum clock in the center of the lobby. He saw a small swirling crack. As the two headed to the playground, Hwashin quietly moved towards it.

 

His silver hair flickered once. A needle formed in his hand with a humming sound. Not taking a complete shape, it swayed here and there.

 

A small light stretched vertically in the shape of a needle. Hwashin, holding the light in his hand, quickly wove the gap.

 

‘How much trouble this little thing caused me.’

 

Thump.

 

….?

 

Just before he finished weaving, a small piece of paper spat out from between the gap. Not like a knight throwing an invitation from horseback.

 

Hwashin’s lips twitched as he picked up the piece of paper.

 

The sentence written on it was very provocative.

 

Whoever it was.

 

“You’re living an interesting life.”

 

“Yoo Hwashin.”

 

Come quickly

. Hearing the voice calling him from afar, Hwashin responded to them and got up. He put the fully read note back into his pants pocket.

 

***

 

The place where Jeong Mueum arrived was behind the school, across the playground. It was the path leading to the garbage dump, and next to that path was a grassy area about two hand spans high.

 

Various statues were set up on the grass. There was a diversity of statues, from ones reading books to ones performing magic or comforting crying children.

 

“Your notebook is here?”

 

“Probably.”

 

Mueum held his headset tightly and followed Suho. From the teachers’ office to the playground, familiar memories resurfaced.

 

– Seriously? Then can’t you show me just once?

 

– Don’t touch it, it’s scary!

 

This was why he didn’t want to come to school.

 

Not a single blade of grass grew on the path to the garbage dump. It was so barren it could be compared to a desert.

 

To shake off his thoughts, Mueum looked up at the sky. The sky was dark and gloomy. He couldn’t recall seeing sunlight since coming here.

 

He clearly felt time passing in the previous dungeon. But this place was different. It seemed as if time had been frozen solely for the ‘school’. Yes, as if everything had stopped.

 

“Hey. What class are you in?”

 

Suho, who had been walking quietly, spoke up.

 

“Why do you want to know?”

 

“No, it’s nothing really, just that I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.”

 

“…I guess we’re in different classes.”

 

Suho seemed flustered by the curt reply and spoke faster.

 

“I-Is that so? Actually, I don’t have many friends. The kids don’t really like me. Ah, but that doesn’t mean anyone’s bullying me now or anything, so don’t worry too much.”

 

“I’m not worried.”

 

A short silence flowed and Suho smiled with a relaxed face. He felt bad. Seeing his somewhat naive expression, Mueum sighed briefly and spoke again.

 

“Sorry.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I tend to just blurt things out. Abruptly.”

 

“….Aha, ahaha.”

 

“…What are you laughing at.”

 

It had been so long since he talked to someone his age that Mueum awkwardly scratched the back of his neck for no reason.

 

“Ah, here it is.”

 

Right next to the recycling area. Suho picked up a notebook that had fallen on the ground.

 

“Is this yours? But why is it lying here?”

 

“Uh… that’s…”

 

Just then, a thin, unpleasant voice was heard from somewhere.

 

[It’s 12 o’clock! 12 o’clock!]

 

[We can speak too!]

 

There were more than one or two voices.

 

The sound was coming from the stone statues they had seen earlier.

 

The head of the boy reading a book was turned towards them, and the wand that had been performing magic was pointing at Mueum’s head.

 

[Hee hee, that guy’s here again.]

 

[We know everything.]

 

[He brought a friend this time? He has a friend?]

 

“Ahhh!”

 

Startled, Suho stumbled back and screamed. Mueum just stared blankly at the statues.

 

[What, he isn’t scared of us? Hey! Can’t he hear us?]

 

[Looks like he can’t hear. That must be why he’s acting like that.]

 

At that moment, Muteum was thinking of something else.

 

‘…They can talk?’

 

He could understand Suho, who had a human form.

 

But Mueum had never heard of a monster from a gate that could talk, nor had he heard any rumors about it.

 

Monsters were fundamentally different from humans. They existed to be killed. Useless. Malicious. Something they couldn’t communicate with.

 

So, what were these things?

 

[Goodness! Or maybe he can hear us but is pretending not to.]

 

[Or it could be that! What do you call someone who can’t understand speech?]

 

The stone statue was talking,

 

[An idiot?]

 

[An idiot!]

 

[Being an idiot sucks! You have to repeat everything you say.]

 

And they were infuriating.

 

Mueum considered putting his headset back on but soon abandoned the thought. The statues’ words were quite useful after all.

 

[You’re looking for your homework notebook, right? Then you’re really stupid, especially you!]

 

[Why are you following him? Oh, you already found it! Finding the notebook is easy, but you lose it every time! Every single time!]

 

The statue of the crying child continued speaking in a sobbing voice.

 

[Sniff, sniff. You’re just like us, sniff, sniff.]

 

[Oh dear, don’t cry, child.]

 

[Look, you made him cry again!]

 

[Idiot, he cries all the time!]

 

The adult statue that was comforting the child began to tear up. Grinding noises filled the air as the stone neck turned. Its eyes, which had tear trails but no pupils, stared at Mueum.

 

[Hey, why are you hanging out with a kid like that?]

 

A kid like that. Mueum turned to look at Suho. Suho was trembling. The statue’s heavy finger slowly unfurled.

 

The index finger pointed at the boy’s head. No, more precisely, at his heart.

 

[That child is.]

 

Simultaneously, Suho shouted.

 

“No!”

 

What on earth was going on? The stone statue and…. the kid called Suho were fighting.

 

Mueum wanted to cover his ears with the headset hanging from his shoulder.

 

It was chaos.