[Border between Huabei and Dongbei, a terrorist attack by a necromancer group]
[Emergency level 4 evacuation order issued in nearby areas – “Is the Grey Zone Risk Theory emerging?”]
[Concerns over dungeon rampage… Association expresses “swift suppression”]
Ancient Chinese territory.
Once a nation that faded into history, now a backward area where even a few branches of the association were established.
But even in such places, people still live.
It’s not like the past where the region boasted a population in the hundreds of thousands, but the natives who couldn’t realistically relocate their homes remained.
Also, due to the backwardness, dungeons and monsters were abundant, so there were a few hunters and heroes who occasionally stopped by to hunt.
And in such a place, a terror attack occurred.
Insane necromancers reportedly rose up en masse and committed a massacre.
Members of society idly scrolling through the internet were suddenly wide-eyed at the news flashing on their screens.
The world was in an uproar due to the unexpected news.
[Is the nightmare of a fallen nation returning? Observation tower reports on “two-headed dragon” necromancy]
[Association raises “evacuation order” from level 4 to level 2 in nearby areas; level 3 evacuation order issued for other border regions]
[Rapid emergency declaration, Association states “swift extermination plan in cooperation with surrounding forces”]
Correction.
The world turned upside down.
The economic indicators, already on a downward trend due to a series of horrific events in recent months, plunged steeply.
Organizations promoting Grey Zone redevelopment projects in China saw their economic indicators hit rock bottom.
After the great upheaval, many countries fell during the ensuing chaotic period.
Many high-tier monsters contributed to the downfall of nations.
The two-headed dragon, however, was not a monster that appeared at the end of the chaotic period.
It emerged during a time when the appearance of heroes was gradually bringing the chaos to an end. Just when the word “peace” began to creep in here and there.
In the historically dragon-worshipping region of China, the two-headed dragon rose up and forcefully silenced those hastily calling for peace.
One head unleashed a wave of deadly poison that indiscriminately killed both living and non-living beings.
The other head spewed forth a mist of disease that spread over a thousand miles.
Its massive body trampled cities, pouring forth the liquids of death and smoke from its two heads.
Many who survived still complained of trauma from that time.
Did only China suffer?
The disease attack left the Chinese mainland incapacitated, causing horrific damage even in nearby areas.
Did becoming a necromancer weaken them? That did not reassure those still trembling from the aftereffects of poison and disease.
This was not merely a matter of concern; it was something that could make many faint and foam at the mouth.
Reports continued.
[Breaking News) Observation tower confirms the extermination of the two-headed dragon]
[80% of rampaging necromancers confirmed to be exterminated; remaining monsters and necromancers currently being hunted down]
[Just over an hour since the incident occurred…]
The world shook once again.
The two-headed dragon that became a necromancer was said to have been exterminated in just about an hour of its appearance.
The large-scale necromancers rampaging across various regions of China had about 70% eliminated in one fell swoop. The reason? Under investigation… But it was definitely not hopeless news.
Those who had fainted in shock now opened their eyes wide, fixating their gaze on the media.
[Credit for the extermination of the “two-headed dragon” goes to Lee Ha-yul]
Upon seeing that name pop up, their eyes widened even more.
Lee Ha-yul. A name and surname that occasionally appeared in the news when something exciting happened.
He had been the center of attention when entering the Shio-ram and during the Chepnah incident where buildings nearly crumbled.
That very person had reportedly swiftly killed the resurgent two-headed dragon.
A shocking and terrifying report was overshadowed by hopeful news…
[Breaking News) Special entry student Lee Ha-yul missing…]
[Association search team “Dark Operation” immediately deployed]
The association was in chaos.
The upper echelons… a “VIP of absolute priority” more significant than a member of the council was engaged in a brawl with a high-tier monster and was now missing.
[Gop-hwa Clan dispatches purification teams to the Huabei-Dongbei border]
The Gop-hwa Clan was also in turmoil. This could be even more serious than the association.
The sacred light sword of their ancestor, which Lee Ha-yul had drawn and stained, weighed heavily on them.
While complex discussions on what to do about him took place, senators who had been smiling about the future prosperity of the Gop-hwa Clan were now distraught due to the news of their son-in-law’s disappearance.
Hong Yeon-hwa, who had been struggling with her duties as the heir, rolled her eyes and fainted.
[Changhae Clan mobilizes troops on the front lines. “Hero’s rescue is declared”]
The Changhae Clan was also in disarray.
As they were already on high alert due to the two-headed dragon appearing in a neighboring area, the heir stepped up to lead the search for Lee Ha-yul.
[Tae-san Clan sends troops to suppress the “great threat to human existence”]
The Tae-san Clan was equally in emergency mode. Even though there were no direct ties to Lee Ha-yul, they were in a situation where a precious heir and their combat unit were involved.
Each faction was gathering on Chinese soil for their own reasons due to the incident caused by the troublemaker who jumped from his cradle.
*
The mechanisms of powers varied.
The power of observation consumes very little mana.
If one changes the application method, mana is consumed, but if operated simply as commonly used, then mental energy is mainly consumed instead.
Spatial power consumes a lot of mana.
Opening a spatial gap might go unnoticed.
But building walls of space and tearing through them consumes an enormous amount of mana and even takes away chunks of mental energy.
Regardless of what it is, the manifestation of power consumes mental energy.
“I don’t see…”
In other words, if mental energy is lacking, powers cannot be manifested.
Thanks to that, the world was shrouded in darkness.
But even if I open my eyes, a hazy fog greets me, and if I close my eyes, I see only a dull blackness.
There was a measure for times like this.
It’s a technique called echo location, which uses sharpened senses to perceive the surroundings.
It’s a method used in the Tower of Growth, but not even that has worked well now.
The world seems much larger than before… or maybe I have become smaller.
Suddenly, I wiggled my fingers. They seem thinner and smaller than before…
The clothes I’m wearing also feel larger. It probably turned into a filthy rag due to exposure to poison, so I discarded it nearby and started crawling away.
What covers me now are the wings of the sky.
For some reason, the wings still clinging to my back protectively envelop me.
Those wings are incredibly large. They seemed like they could wrap around me several times.
“…Did I shrink? I have no idea…”
I feel confused about whether what I’m sensing is true.
“Ugh…”
My body hurts.
My body aches as if I’ve been beaten all day, and it stings like I’ve been cut by a blade.
Numerous expressions come to mind, but in the end, my body simply hurt too much.
It hurt in various ways.
First… my body felt hot.
It felt as if I’ve swallowed fire and was holding it in my stomach.
The blood circulating through my veins felt like boiling oil, and the mana flowing through torn circuits felt like flames.
My body seemed on the verge of burning to ashes.
And…
“Cold…”
Paradoxically, my body felt cold.
With my fingers and toes feeling like they were frozen solid, I curled up tightly.
When that happened, my body felt too hot, as if it would melt away.
While complaining of the pain, I felt cold yet again, as if I could turn into a block of ice.
At times, I got the eerie feeling that my body would harden as if returning to a heap of dirt.
At that point, I realized what this symptom meant.
“Sa, Samjong…”
Three Compounds. The technique that forcibly combines Gop-hwa, Changhae, and Tae-san to explode. This must be its aftereffect.
“…Ugh…”
Perhaps because of that, my emotions kept fluctuating.
Feeling the influence of Gop-hwa, my emotions heightened.
The whole world seemed hateful. I felt so miserable crawling around this unknown place like a rag doll, tears coming to my eyes.
I felt lonely. In this situation of possibly dying alone and being so scared of when I might die even if I returned to life, it was overwhelming.
And… due to the influence of Changhae, my emotions settled down.
After all, they were still all strangers, so there was no need to hate them. As I faced imminent death, I didn’t care much about pain. If I were to die, those connections would vanish. Perhaps, it would be easier to die than to suffer like this…
My body was in tatters, and my mind was equally a chaotic blend of melting and freezing.
Consciousness faded and returned intermittently.
.
.
.
I don’t know how many days have passed.
Fortunately, I hadn’t died in the meantime.
My stomach was so hungry it felt like it was stuck to my back, but I was not yet starving to death.
I was used to this level of hunger from my previous world, and now that I had become a superhuman, I thought I might endure even longer.
As for water… I licked the damp floor that still had some moisture.
At times like this, my lost sense of taste was a bit comforting.
During this time, my mental energy gradually recovered, and the side effects of the Three Compounds were slowly fading.
If I waited just a few more days, I thought I could shake off the side effects and even manifest powers.
– Wooooo!
Then it happened.
My senses tingled. I didn’t have to consume mental energy or mana, as the resonance of space hammered against my skin.
“…What is this? Where am I… that space is…”
I didn’t understand the situation.
A sudden feeling of dread surged.
With my condition being like this, if a monster finds me…
A chill spread throughout my body. The harrowing fear of dying flashed before me.
Whatever it may be, if I stay still like this, I might face an unfortunate event.
I moved my limbs. I couldn’t exert strength well.
It was hard to even crawl, let alone stand up.
“Gugh…”
I squirmed and slowly crawled on the floor like a bug.
As I was moving away from where the spatial presence resonated, I heard a familiar voice.
“Finally found…?! …it?”
I stiffened at the familiar presence.
The essence of mana and a nostalgic voice…
It’s the aura of Professor Liana.
‘Delusion?’
I first doubted my senses. Could I be dreaming of being rescued after losing consciousness?
That thought came to me.
I fervently hoped it wasn’t an illusion. That would be such a cruel and sad thought.
“──, ───.”
As if rejecting my doubt, the presence presumed to be Professor Liana rushed towards me.
Soon, a warm energy descended upon my body accompanied by an incantation.
It’s healing magic.
Reality registered.
How she found me was a mystery, but there was no doubt it was Professor Liana.
I couldn’t help but relax my stiffened muscles.
“Oh, oh! Wait! Just in case, don’t lose consciousness! Student Lee Ha-yul!”
As I slumped over, Professor Liana fussed and gently cradled me.
Her kind touch supported my body… standing?
‘What?’
A sense of incongruity ballooned. An indescribable sensation enveloped me, insisting it couldn’t be dismissed as an illusion.
Her hands were under my arms, lifting me, and the hands supporting my rear were… so large.
They felt like a giant’s hands. In contrast, my body felt incredibly small.
I was enveloped in her embrace. It was different from before. I felt more deeply buried.
“What is this… Uh, Student Lee Ha-yul… is that you?”
Professor Liana asked in surprise.
‘……’
That question clicked my memories and the sense of incongruity together like puzzle pieces.
The confusion I attributed to my senses… the giant surroundings and my shrunken forms.
The hand of Professor Liana, which felt like a giant, and my body fitting into her arms more easily than before.
“…I shrank?”
My body had shrunk. More accurately, I should say I’d become younger?
The moment I came to that conclusion, my mind went blank.
“Uh-oh… what is this… No, let’s get some nutrients first.”
Whether I was dazed or not, Professor Liana anxiously examined my altered protective emblem fitting my shrunken body and then carefully pulled something out to put in my mouth.
It seemed to be a flask, tilting gently as lukewarm liquid flowed into my mouth.
My body, drenched in weariness, gradually loosened. It appeared to be a health recovery potion.
I obediently accepted what was offered, gulping it down.
A strange feeling enveloped me. Soon the potion that had been in my mouth disappeared, and I felt a sudden sense of longing.
‘…?’
All of a sudden, I noticed something repeatedly rubbing against my face.
[Soft soft]
[Gentle]
[Warmth]
So soft. It was enormous and plush enough to bury my head in. A warm energy gently enveloped me.
Instinctively, I buried my face in that place. An overwhelming sense of happiness warmly embraced my face.
“It’s okay. You struggled alone for a long time, didn’t you? Don’t worry. I’m here now. Everything will be alright…”
As if validating my actions, her gentle strokes continued. Her hands caressed my head and back, filling me with happiness.
The place where I had buried my face was a woman’s chest. A significant part of the body, one should never carelessly touch.
But it’s so immensely soft and cozy…
‘……’
My hands moved involuntarily.
“You did well. Now let’s go outside─”
– Crack…
“─eh? Huh…?!”
A wave of happiness flooded my senses.
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