'Yes… it was like that to begin with.'

At first, she just unconditionally followed Hansoo since he was her only hope of survival.

As long as she followed him, she thought that she would be able to live, and another world might open up.

However, now she knew that no such thing existed, and she knew why things happened like this.

This was because Samuel and herself were mere obstacles in Hansoo's path.

This was why he had given up his memory and chosen to gain strength in exchange.

'We're the one… that let you go first.'

Booooooooom!

While Mihee was uttering a soliloquy, the heat wave of the Relic was getting stronger around them.

The mana barriers created by Sangjin, Mihee, and Samuel were being crushed by the heat of the storm.

Kakakaka!

Booom!

"Ahhhhhk!"

"Eeeeek…!"

Maybe it was due to the increasing heat from their surroundings, Hansoo opened his eyes in Mihee's embrace.

Looking around, he quickly reached a conclusion on the current situation in the midst of confusion.

'What a mess. Oh d.a.m.n… why the h.e.l.l did I say I would do this?'

Thinking, there were many reasons why.

One of the reasons was because he was full of confidence and wanted to try out his newly acquired power.

Another reason was that he wanted to step on the guy that felt like he obtained the world.

Lastly, another reason was because he desired to obtain all three Relics since it would be quite useful to play around with.

But now thinking back, all of these weren't sufficient in reason for him to act.

He had a guess of why he was acting like this.

It was more bad than good.

For him to reach this place despite having quite difficult opponents…

Yet, him deciding that he would do this had helped him reach a conclusion.

'I'm an idiot. A total idiot. Why did I even take the lead…'

Since he felt his conscience sting for some odd reason, he had offered to take the lead, but that was such a crus.h.i.+ng mistake.

Ruuuuuumble!

Hansoo chuckled as he saw the raging flames trying to overwhelm them.

"Ah, whatever. It was a decision I made… I should take responsibility as well. That's good. Let's take a break from this opportunity.'

In his memory, all he could remember was fighting again and again.

He did not know or remember what he had to keep fighting to live, and why he had to keep doing this.

He didn't know why he needed to live longer, but maybe it was a good thing to do so in a way.

'All of them wanted to live so bad...so go and live…'

Hansoo emptied his mind and muttered as he looked at Mihee in front of him.

"... Get the h.e.l.l out of here if you're able. I'm going to take a break."

Among the five of them, he was the most powerful, and saving them all would be quite difficult. As such, he wanted the four of them to at least leave.

Then.

Booooooooooom!

Hansoo withdrew a lot of power within him and erected a barrier

Despite not having much strength, he was able to make a barrier stronger than Samuel's.

"Now. Screw off. I don't want to be indebted. Go out… and live on."

He specifically told them not to save him and yet they had crawled back to rescue him. Although it was their fault for coming, they still risked their lives to save him anyways.

From those words, Mihee shook her head and hugged Hansoo.

"No!"

They had definitely held onto Hansoo to live, and in order to live, it was them that had let go of him first.

So… they won't repeat that mistake.

'Now… I won't let go.'

She would never let go of him first.

Ruuuuuumble!

The heat storm raged on from the outside, causing cracks to appear on the barrier, starting from Sangjin's barrier on the exterior to Mihee and Samuel, and finally Hansoo's.

Sssssssss!

Sssssssss!

The four layers of barriers that were sustaining each other were being crushed.

Sooon.

Boooooom!

The wall burst with a roar.

The barrier that had kept the heat from entering collapsed, allowing for the flames to jump on the five people without mercy.

In that moment,

Mihee clenched her teeth and gathered all her remaining mana and embraced Hansoo.

'What a crazy b*tch… to go this far.'

It was the moment when Hansoo coughed up blood from the impact of the destroyed barrier as he stared at Mihee.

'Eeeeeeek! Done!'

"Now!"

Whoooooos.h.!.+

White clouds began radiating around Kiriel's body, which started to devour the bodies of Hansoo, Mihee, and Samuel.

However, it wasn't like they all teleported at the same time.

The first person to move was the caster herself.

Afterward, it was those closest to her.

Whoooooooooos.h.!.+

Sangjin, who was between Kiriel and Hansoo, since he was occupied using the Relic, began to be teleported first.

Then.

Boooooooom!

As Sangjin disappeared, the restraint on the fires disappeared, causing the flame storm to flare up violently and swarm the remaining three.

'Oh my… gos.h.!.+'

Though Kiriel did not receive any damage as half of her was already being teleported, she was still able to monitor the whole situation, causing her to have a regretful expression.

'Please… Please hurry!'

Hansoo was next.

Chiiiiiiiiik!

Hansoo, who was. .h.i.tting the walls with his remaining energy, had about half his body burnt before the teleportation started, but he was surprisingly able to maintain himself in good condition.

All of this was in part to Mihee who was taking the brunt of the flames.

"Eeeeeeeek…"

Before Hansoo could shout something after seeing Mihee, a white cloud surrounded him as began to move beyond s.p.a.ce.

Mihee revealed a small smile seeing this despite her whole body burning in flames.

'Good. I saved him.'

It was over now.

However, not perfectly.

Unfortunately, it seemed not everyone could go up alive.

'... One of us had to endure so the other could go up.'

It would be nice if everyone could be saved, but there wasn't enough time for this.

In order to allow Samuel to be next to be teleported, Mihee kicked and flung her body back.

In that moment.

Ruuumble!

"Ughk!!"

On her back, she felt something kick her, causing Mihee to clench her teeth.

It wasn't because of pain.

Mihee, with a shocked expression looked back, and shouted, "Samuel!"

From those words, Samuel chuckled as he saw the kicked Mihee.

"Live well."

"N—"

Before Mihee could finish her words, her body began to disappear beyond the white clouds.

The fires around them raged as if they were bent on not losing their targets, but the attempt was in vain due to the rocks that floated around Mihee's body.

In case she might get hurt, the rocks began to protect the parts where the white clouds did not fully cover against the flames.

As a result, Mihee was able to quickly be teleported, causing Samuel to bear all the costs.

Ruuuuuuumble!

Sssssssss!

The heat and flames crushed Samuel's body from all sides.

Amidst that pain, Samuel smiled as he looked at Mihee looking at him with a desperate look.

"Please understand. I'm not saving that b.a.s.t.a.r.d… I'm saving you."

At the same time.

Whooooos.h.!.+

Mihee's body was completely devoured by the white cloud.

Seeing this scene, Samuel smiled as he mumbled, 'Ah, what a great day to end on.'

The rest of the white clouds began to rush into Samuel's body, but he already knew that this would be the end.

To begin with, if he were able to come up with any plan to escape here, he would have at least struggled.

However, he had no regrets.

Samuel looked far away into the horizon through the hole.

'One cigarette would be ma.s.sive. Since I have a lighter… maybe I don't need a cigarette."

Samuel reached out his subconsciously.

The moment the cloud clasped over Samuel's hand…

Booooooooom!

The flames swept through Samuel's body.

—

Hansoo picked up something that had fallen on the ground.

As if it was requesting for a cigarette, two fingers were straightened on the right hand.

'Hmm.'

Hansoo frowned as he saw the raised hand.