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[Chapter 171]

[Crimson Wings (2)]

"Why did I cry for this kid? Someone rushed here worried and sweating, but someone is comfortably eating Choco Pies in their sickbed?"

"This isn't Choco Pie, it's Mon..." "Whether it's Choco Pie or Mon Cher. How can you eat that now? Sigh, I'm the fool for worrying. Are you hurting anywhere?"

"Min-ji, Seo-na! Do you want to eat snacks with me too!? Riya unni hid a bunch under the bed earlier!"

Kim Min-ji and Jin Seo-na came to visit.

Eun-ha welcomed the two happily.

Of course, the two widened their eyes as soon as they saw Eun-ha eating snacks.

Ariel tried to change the atmosphere, but the two scolded Eun-ha harshly.

"Do you know how shocked we were when news spread that you died? Huh? Do you know how I felt relaying that news to clan members? No, you Clan Lord who just keeps making people worry."

"I'm sorry for making you worry. But I'm alive like this..."

"Wow, does this Noh Eun-ha really not know how much we worried? Hey, do you think this can end with just one sorry?"

When one finishes scolding.

Now the other starts scolding point by point.

It was all correct.

Eun-ha had nothing to say.

Eventually Eun-ha had to keep listening to their nagging with a groan.

"You're a dead man when you return to the clan. Do you know how much Ha-yang and Eun-ah unni worried? They say to wash your neck and wait."

"I won't stop you from getting scolded this time, whether you get scolded or not. You need to get a good scolding once. No, why did you try to face Ye-gyeong alone? Are you that great?"

"Haha..."

""You can laugh now?""

"..."

Their concern was only good at first, but afterwards it became suffocating.

Nevertheless, Eun-ha who had committed many sins had to grovel to them saying he really did wrong.

This is just the beginning. When I return and meet the clan members, I'll really be a dead man...

Recalling the not-so-distant future.

Eun-ha sighed inwardly.

Perhaps because Eun-ha didn't refute and consistently said sorry.

The two who had been moving their mouths like a storm finally finished their lecture.

"But what about the others? Are the injured... doing well?"

"No one's as badly hurt as you. Except for Cheon-seo who can't participate in battle because he's poisoned with all kinds of toxins, everyone's fine. Yeo U-bi unni also regained consciousness and is helping with supplies in Itaewon."

With a sigh.

Jin Seo-na said.

Then she continued.

"Originally Eun-ah unni and Ha-yang wanted to come, not us... But everyone's so busy that only we came." "That's right. Ha-yang and Eun-ah unni went to the Mana Management Organization for a meeting now, and Min-ho is staying to command the Yongsan-gu frontline." "Come to think of it, there would be a meeting. What's happening with the army now?"

Kim Min-ji added.

Eun-ha could grasp the situation of Yongsan-gu and Pandora Clan to some extent from the news the two relayed.

It was then.

"─And this." "...An elixir?"

"We decided with the clan members to use the elixir on you."

Jin Seo-na opened her bag.

What she took out was an elixir.

He widened his eyes seeing the liquid with floating starlight.

"Riya... was it? That person let our side know what condition you're in. It seems there's a limit to treatment without an elixir."

"An elixir should be able to heal you. It will take time to digest the elixir so you won't be able to participate in the war... But don't worry about that. We'll handle things well."

The elixir Sirius Group had been keeping and transferred to Pandora Clan.

Eun-ha received the elixir and felt relieved.

He had been anxious hearing it would take time to fully recover and there could be aftereffects.

But with the elixir, there was no need to be anxious.

"Thanks for bringing it. I'll use it well."

At fastest a day, at latest three days.

It would take that much time to drink the elixir and heal.

Perhaps he could fight the army.

Eun-ha expressed gratitude to the two who brought the elixir.

Right then─

"─Excuse me. Could you lower your voices? I'm treating other people in the next room and I keep hearing noise."

""Ah, sorry...""

"Sorry for being noisy."

"Ah, Riya unni! Are you done with work!?"

"I said I'm working?"

Knock knock.

Riya knocked and entered.

Riya sighed seeing people gathered around Eun-ha.

"Hm?"

Then she turned her gaze to the elixir on Eun-ha's lap.

She strode over.

"What's that?"

"An elixir. You've heard of it, right?"

"Ah... So this is an elixir... So you're going to drink this? I told you, didn't I? Don't use things like that and just wait to heal naturally. You might end up not responding to healing magic..."

"An elixir isn't a drug that consumes a person's recovery power to heal like you think. It literally reconstructs the body. This is perfect timing." """"...!!""""

Eun-ha suddenly opened the lid.

He gulped down the elixir before Riya could stop him.

The people present were startled by the sudden situation.

"Y-You drank it now!?"

"Yeah. Can't you see? It's empty, right?"

"Are you crazy? I said..."

"I wanted to show you directly that elixirs aren't like that. So can I ask you for one favor?"

"Huh? What favor?"

"Until I fully digest the elixir, I can't have contact with the external environment. So please control the surroundings, and just in case, could you come check on my condition occasionally?"

"...You're really shameless, aren't you?" "I'll repay you later. I'll send you as many boxes of Mon Cher as you want, so please help." "Do you think that will work on me? Sigh... why does Mana God still leave a human like this alone. No, is it because he's an atheist that he has no manners... Ah, no, I who serve Mana God shouldn't think bad thoughts..."

"Why are you muttering to yourself? Are you sick somewhere?" "Whose fault do you think that is?"

Feeling the elixir seep into his body and warm his insides.

Eun-ha shamelessly asked Riya to look after him.

Though Riya protested, she soon gave up as if she now understood his personality.

"Do as you please. I won't know anything even if something goes wrong."

"I'm counting on you."

"Visitors, please don't stay too long. Well, you'd know that unlike him."

After roughly checking Eun-ha's condition.

Riya turned sharply and left.

Kim Min-ji who had been quietly watching Eun-ha and her bicker until then shook her head.

And Jin Seo-na─

"─I saw your eyes going to that unni's chest?" "Huh? When did I?" "When was it? While talking, your gaze slowly went down." "That's not true..."

"I saw it all. Do you like breasts that much? I should tell Ha-yang." "..."

"I should tell the administrator unni too."

"I had to look up from a sitting position so it couldn't be helped..."

"You're making excuses."

"Ugh..."

Jin Seo-na opening her sleepy eyes.

Eun-ha couldn't answer her speaking with perked up triangular ears.

Eventually Eun-ha groaned.

☆

The elixir's effects started to work.

As the warm sensation gradually became hotter, Eun-ha sent the three people outside.

Min-ji and Seo-na decided to return, and Ariel decided to stand guard outside the door to ensure he could safely digest the elixir.

By the way, what should I do now...

To think Pride's Counterattack would break.

While hugging Buldak's egg.

Eun-ha lay down on the bed.

He planned to inject the mana flowing out while he digested the elixir into Buldak's egg.

While doing so, he recalled the artifact Pride's Counterattack that broke unable to withstand the overload while facing Ye-gyeong.

I used it so usefully until now...

Eun-ha greatly regretted it.

It was a quite useful artifact.

Thanks to Pride's Counterattack, he had avoided crises several times.

The strategy of reflecting attacks coming from very close and attacking the opponent was quite useful.

It was that reckless too.

...It can't be helped.

There's nothing I can do about it breaking.

And Pride's Counterattack wouldn't have been able to counter the calamities that will continue to occur in the future.

There was nothing to be done.

Eun-ha consoled his regret.

While doing so, he reviewed facing Ye-gyeong several times.

Platinum Cross isn't enough.

Though it's clearly a powerful magic, it takes time to cast and I can't take other actions or magic while casting.

And no matter how powerful the magic, it's meaningless if dodged.

Platinum Cross.

It was certainly an effective magic when facing high-rank monsters.

But Eun-ha realized the magic's weaknesses while fighting Ye-gyeong.

Overlapping mana twice on the sword is somewhat fine but the power isn't that good.

On the other hand, if I try to overlap three or more times, all my focus goes to Platinum Cross and I can't do anything else.

Then I'm left defenseless and can't properly prepare for situations that occur afterwards.

When I originally fought Ye-gyeong─

─It escaped to a height magic couldn't reach in the sky.

Even if I use Invisible Tracker, if it escapes that high, the magic's power will inevitably weaken.

This kind of thing will... continue to happen in the future.

Recalling when he was defeated by Ye-gyeong.

Eun-ha frowned.

"...Ugh..."

Pain was coming.

It seemed the elixir's effects had started.

As internal mana flowed out from his body, Eun-ha writhed.

What I need now is magic that can directly damage it.

I need magic with relatively less control restrictions, less burden to prepare, and still powerful...

Consciousness drifts away.

Soon Eun-ha closed his eyes intoxicated by the elixir's effects.

☆

The Mana Management Organization meeting ended.

Today's meeting was sluggish.

It was good that Pandora Clan took down two Level 4 army commanders, but unfortunately high-ranking Players were injured falling for Caesar Hopper and Ye-gyeong's tricks.

Three of Blaze Clan's Eight Jades were currently in intensive care, and <Red Iron> Hwang Seok-ha was on the brink of death.

Also─

─I hope Eun-ha is okay?

<Swift Sword> Noh Eun-ha.

The story that he suffered serious injuries in the process of blocking Ye-gyeong's attack made the atmosphere of those attending the meeting heavy.

While people felt relieved that he hadn't died as rumored, they couldn't help but feel regret at losing Noh Eun-ha as a fighting force.

I want to go see him right away... I hate that I can't go see him because of the meeting.

I heard from Seo-na, but I want to see his face directly too.

Meanwhile, Jung Ha-yang's mind was elsewhere during the meeting.

It was fortunate she had the gift <Multitasking >.

Though her mind was elsewhere, she could roughly hear how the meeting flowed, so she could calmly speak when it was her turn.

On the other hand, Noh Eun-ah who attended in place of Noh Eun-ha couldn't focus well.

"Maybe I should have gone to nurse him after all. I should have just gone to check..."

"Unni..."

"Is that Riya person's skill really okay? Since she has the alias <Holy Maiden of the Church> even though she's not a Player, can we trust her?"

"He'll be fine since he ate the elixir. You know that well too, unni." "Well... I guess so."

Though she showed a somewhat spirited appearance during the meeting.

When the meeting ended, Noh Eun-ah muttered with a gloomy face.

She wanted to run to Noh Eun-ha right away and see his condition directly.

"...Right, since he ate the elixir too, it should be fine not to worry at all. I hope he doesn't run out saying he'll fight right after eating the elixir..." "Come on, unni. Even Eun-ha wouldn't push himself that much." "Right? If he pushes himself..." "If he pushes himself?"

"I'll handcuff him."

"Ahaha..."

"Really... Just let me meet him..."

Saying she couldn't just be depressed alone in this situation.

She slapped her cheeks.

She who chanted the spell "Eun-ah Eun-ah" flashed her eyes.

To this, Jung Ha-yang smiled bitterly.

Right then─

"─Pandora Clan Sub-lord." ""Yes?""

While people were leaving the conference room.

<First Sword> Ji Yong-hyun approached the two.

The two tilted their heads.

Then Ji Yong-hyun bowed his head.

"I'm sorry. It was entirely my mistake that Ye-gyeong escaped yesterday. I'm really sorry that my mistake caused the Pandora Clan Lord to overexert himself."

""...."""

Zenith Clan Lord and one of the Twelve Seats.

Ji Yong-hyun's apology could be said to have special value.

The two couldn't help but be flustered at his sudden apology.

"No, Zenith Clan Lord. Please raise your head."

"Yes, this isn't something the Zenith Clan Lord needs to apologize for."

Other people are watching.

The two who realized their gazes quickly stopped Ji Yong-hyun.

Only then did Ji Yong-hyun raise his head.

"Our Clan Lord just overexerted himself, there's no need for the Zenith Clan Lord to apologize like this."

"That's right. My brother just did something dangerous." "But thanks to the Pandora Clan Lord sacrificing himself to stop Ye-gyeong, we were able to minimize damage. So it's natural to thank you and apologize."

""...."""

When the two waved their hands.

Ji Yong-hyun spoke in a firm tone.

So the two couldn't completely refuse his apology.

"Thank you. We'll relay it to our Clan Lord later."

"Yes, thank you very much for saying that." "Alright, tell the Pandora Clan Lord I wish him a speedy recovery." ""Yes.""

In fact, the two couldn't take it well hearing that Eun-ha sacrificed himself to minimize damage to the war situation.

Though Eun-ha's sacrifice was praiseworthy, those by his side couldn't purely be happy about it.

Nevertheless, the two knew Ji Yong-hyun didn't speak with bad intentions, so they accepted it favorably.

Eventually Ji Yong-hyun left the conference room.

Not long after he left─

"─Pandora Clan Sub-lord." "...KK Clan Lord?"

KK Clan Lord and one of the Twelve Seats.

<Beast Tamer> Hwang San-gun stood before them.

The two looked up at him and made flustered expressions again.

"Hmm..."

""...."""

Hwang San-gun who was bandaged due to injuries mumbled.

He tries to say something but stops.

He repeats this a few times before finally opening his mouth.

"I too wish him a speedy recovery. Tell him that. Well then."

"Yes... Thank you."

"Thank you."

Whoosh.

Hwang San-gun left with two familiars waiting for him outside.

"What was that?"

"I know, right?"

"Didn't they say KK Clan Lord disliked Eun-ha?" "I thought so too... But maybe that's not the case?"

What a strange person, they thought.

The two muttered, feeling bewildered.

☆

The fourth day since the army invaded Gangbuk.

Southern Gangbuk, Yongsan-gu.

Pandora Clan members sensed the approaching army's presence.

"─They're coming."

Someone said that.

Soon, the ground was torn up not far from the frontline and the army appeared.

They didn't just appear from underground.

Those creatures came up from the Han River too, and revealed themselves from the sky.

Bububububu

And among those that appeared in the sky, Caesar Hopper's army, monsters resembling grasshoppers, appeared throughout Gangbuk.

But those creatures─

─Thud

Thump

Crack

""""...."""

People's faces hardened.

The creatures that flew over the frontline at rapid speed dropped something they were holding onto the ground.

At first they thought it was bombs.

But what the creatures dropped was─

"─What a sick hobby..."

Human corpses.

The creatures had discarded corpses with flesh torn off here and there.

Hoshimiya Kaede muttered with a groan.

Other people scrunched their faces too.

Splat!

Some corpses burst like watermelons dropped from a height as soon as they hit the ground.

A grotesque sight.

As such sights gradually increased throughout Gangbuk─

─Uwehh...!

People who had been fighting monsters and fleeing from them for four days repeatedly vomited.

As the number of corpses falling from the sky increased more and more.

Splat!

Crack!

People's fighting spirit dropped.

─Whiiiieeeeaaaaaooooooo

There were only two army commanders left now.

Nevertheless, people starting the battlefield for the fourth day sensed that today wouldn't end easily either.