The Curtain Rises (9)

Fierce anger hit the brainstem and came up.

This bitch!

Kim Kyung-hwan himself wasnt sure. Of course, he didnt think that he conjured the magic on his own. He knew well that it was like putting a spoon in his mouth, which Eraser served. Therefore, it wasnt due to resentment that he was so angry.

It wasnt because her words disgusted him with what he wanted to hide from her. Kim Kyung-hwan didnt feel a bit of shame or disgrace for the lies he spat out. He knew Erasers existence in the first place because he was chosen, and he thought others didnt deserve to know the truth.

Therefore, the point of Kim Kyung-hwans anger laid somewhere else.

How dare this idiot!

The low-level, first-class magic trainee dared to doubt him, the hope of humankind. It was an arrogant and irritable attitude.

It was no longer important to him that her speculations were true, and the grounds and clues of the suspects were unknown, but that the direction was quite accurate. Cognitive disorders were almost incurable in men like him.

What bullshit are you talking about?

He barely endured more blatant swearing but couldnt hide his distorted expression.

The atmosphere became harsh, but Hwang Soo-rim didnt avoid his eyes. She was looking confidently at her opponent with one eye. Kim Kyung-hwan glanced at the traces of her left eye hidden behind her hair without realizing it.

Behind her draped black hair, a disfigured and scarred skin reflected. The left eyelid had a yellow scar instead of the pupil. It was even more disgusting to see it in such proximity.

I dont know how the accident happened, but her eye looks like shit. Did she hit her eye on the stick while driving manually?

The scar was impossible to recover even with Kaifus magic. Usually, he would avoid looking at it from consideration for her, but Kim Kyung-hwan had nothing to be rough. He spoke bluntly with his gaze fixed on the burn marks.

Suddenly, what nonsense is that?

However, Hwang Soo-rim continued, regardless of his hostility toward her.

Its strange. You said you practiced alone with the knowledge taught by the Kaifu instructors? While combining magic in a new way, have you never sought advice from those who are actually guiding you? Why are you doing such inefficient things?

Kim Kyung-hwan gritted his teeth and said, Because I didnt have to ask.

Why?

Even if they made this magic first, they couldnt think of combining it the way I use it. Theyre stuck in stereotypes. I think its just frustrating to discuss the intermediate process with those guys

Thats ridiculous. The stereotype is more than half broken just by you telling them a new concept. Besides, you take all the classes one-on-one, right? Why dont you ever show off that new combination youve devised even when youre doing one-on-one training? Does it make sense that it was to avoid a frustrating debate?

Kim Kyung-hwans face turned red. She was going too far. Kim Kyung-hwan responded by grinding his teeth.

Hey, Hwang Soo-rim. I dont know why I have to tell you this, but Ive already finished talking with Kaifu as well as human instructors. I was planning to show it after making a more completed and polished form of the combination.

He was huffing and talking.

Isnt this personal? Not all people in the world live thinking like you. Isnt it so childish to think that everything is wrong if its different from your thoughts?

No, thats also weird.

Hwang Soo-rim squinted her right eye.

When was that complete version made?

Are you interrogating me now?!

When was that combination-style completely made? No Kaifu instructors knew of it until the day the monster attacked this base. When you were thinking about whether or not to tell the Kaifus after completing the new spell, and the monsters were attacking us, was it the perfect timing for the perfect coincidence?

That question was already addressed in the interview. Kim Kyung-hwan responded sharply.

No! Right, I used it to fight Waterbirds, but Ive been working on it! Im going to stabilize it, and then Im going to reveal it to the Kaifu instructors

Because of his excitement, he wasnt aware that he used the word Waterbird instead of the word monster, and Kim Kyung-hwan continued full of emotion. Hwang Soo-rim cut off Kim Kyung-hwan with a low voice.

But its not like that? Isnt it already complete?

Was that bitch really crazy?

Kim Kyung-hwan frowned and became irritated.

Ah, what are you talking about?!

Hwang Soo-rim added words with sharp eyes.

During the interview, the combination you revealed was posted on the training center intranet. All instructors and trainees checked on that. I saw it, too. Thats an unfinished combination?

Sigh! What the

Kim Kyung-hwan laughed in vain; he was dumbfounded.

Hwang Soo-rim, arent you really a genius? Well its not just a formula that makes sense once you see it.

Eraser also trained him by injection method. Even though he was in a hurry to memorize it, it wasnt a combination whose logic and principle he could digest 100 percent. There was no way to understand even if she saw through it.

Whether its done or not, its not something people like you would know, Hwang Soo-rim. Thats bluffing. Thats enough. Just think whatever you want. Im going.

Beggars get tangled up and make people feel bad. Kim Kyung-hwan turned around, grumbling inside. Suddenly Hwang Soo-rim reached out her hand and grabbed his wrist with a strong force. Kim Kyung-hwan, who was angry to the end of his head, turned his head and shouted.

Ah, fuck, are you really crazy?!

Talk to me more.

Oh, its over!

Kim Kyung-hwan roughly shook his wrist.

Hwang Soo-rim couldnt hold up and stumbled over her body due to the difference in weight and missed his hand.

Ah really, you lunatic bitch.

He swore openly and looked at his wrist, which had been grabbed. It seemed she was wearing a ring on her finger that held him. As he released his hand, he saw a scratch. Kim Kyung-hwan gritted his teeth when he saw traces of red, although it wasnt enough to bleed or scar.

She wouldnt be able to get married with that face, but why is she wearing something like that even though its not a wedding ring? Its ridiculous.

He stared at her and spoke.

You must have some kinds of delusion, so dont go around like this and go to the infirmary quickly. There is a psychiatrist there.

Although he was shooting back at her violently, Hwang Soo-rim did not change her expression. Kim Kyung-hwan didnt like to see her gaze peering on his face. Other than a mix of jealousy and envy that he was used to and enjoyed, he had another feeling.

Tsk

Kim Kyung-hwan clicked his tongue and turned his back. And without self-consciousness, he got out of the spot with a faster pace.

***

It was a little past midnight. Early on, I was up in the mountains surrounding the Hun-neung early on. I was about to wander around the foot of a mountain that was several kilometers in a radius. It was time for the last check around its perimeter.

I looked around once during the day, but since it was a very sensitive magic circle, it was easily affected by Manas distribution around it. I wanted to look at this game one more time ahead.

Phew

I wiped the sweat from my forehead. Although the acceleration magic was applied, the burden on the body seems to build up to some extent.

Mrs. Pearl looked at me with eyes that reflected worry.

Are you okay, Yoon?

Yes, this is good enough

I shrugged my shoulder as if there was nothing to worry about. Then I took out a bottle of elixir from the backpack and drank it. The lost body couldnt raise the limit of the human bodys ability, but at least as much stamina as consumed could be restored.

Ah, theyre all here. This is the last one.

I nodded as I looked at the place where Mrs. Pearl was pointing. Her dark hair shone smoothly under the moonlight while transforming into a human.

Ah, thank you very much.

I greeted inside the hidden barrier. The answer came back soon.

Master Yoon?

It was Yusus voice.

It was the 12th one. I arrived at the last altar hidden in the mountain.

The door of the barriers opened as if guiding us inside. There was a small magic circle after passing through the concealed barrier. There was a branch of an Enchanted Wood tree shining silver in the center of the magic circle.

Compared to the Enchanted Woods size seen from its origin, it wasnt huge, but what was important was the nature of this tree. That Enchanted Wood was an excellent artifact created by the Silver Forests Truth-Seeker with magic principles, which was much higher than Parvache or mine.

It plays a significant role in getting things going today.

I approached and checked the status of the magic circle. After all, there was nothing wrong. All eleven altars were fine.

The magic circle has no problem how is everyones Mana?

Yusu nodded at my question as if it was obvious, No problem.

White Deer were also gathered at this altar.

Except for the residents of White Deer who couldnt physically leave the village or go out the skills and magic that could be helpful in todays work were selected. I knew most of them through practice. I quietly greeted them.

Among them, a villager who looked like a wolf spoke to me. I remember the face, but I didnt know the name.

But are you sure? That theyre showing up here today?

Did that person no, did that wolf lived only for being tricked? I tried not to show my expression and responded.

Yes, Ive been stealing what theyre communicating with magic. It is today. Its also very soon.

The wolf nodded quietly. I looked around the residents and continued talking.

Well, theres nothing else I can explain to you here, right? Mrs. Pearl will give you a signal. Then as weve practiced, you can put Mana into this Enchanted Wood. Then the Mana will move along the route Ive laid out, and Ill complete the barrier in the center. Thats it.

Twelve altars looked the same. Each had an equal distance between them and surrounded the base of Hun-neung in a circle like a siege.

After that, Yusu and I chatted for a while. Then we waited for the night to come in silence.

It was a lie if I said that I wasnt nervous because today was the first contact between them and us. There were also many difficult conditions, so yes, I was worried.

We didnt just shoot magic at random and killed them, but we needed to capture the executives alive. Although it was possible to extract memories through Yodmo even when they died, the problem was that a tool to output those memories wasnt good. The Fake God in my tank seemed to be almost saturated. Once captured alive, the interrogation was the top priority at that point.

The magical eyes detected a truck approaching from a distance we had planted after a while.

Parvache, who confirmed the appearance through the senses I shared, spoke.

[Min-joon]

Yeah.

[ Be careful.]

Okay.

In Parvaches mind, there was a rare mixture of deep worries.

What was it thinking now? The doubts I set aside these days about Parvache was about to sprout again, so I tried to suppress it. That wasnt the right time to be distracted.

There were too many variables due to the beings whose abilities were unknown. But now, I couldnt even take a step back. How much had I already gave up for that moment today? Also, how much more would I have to lose if I didnt make it that day?

I got up from my seat with a firm mind. I could see puppets getting off the truck in the dark. They were moving quickly to a training camp deep in Hun-neung.

It was time for the curtain to rise on the main stage.