Interlude
Around half of the 100 people crowd had weapons in their hands, but thankfully, they didn't need to use those there. After all, they were in a safe zone.
Shortly after the goblins showed up, there was an announcement about safe areas throughout the building. These were places where the monsters couldn't enter, giving the humans a place to gather and recuperate.
But that illusion was shattered when the doors swung open, and a hulking skeleton stepped into the room, carrying three battered bodies. It was Soo-Ah's latest pet, Skullee, holding Jaehwan and his as it walked into the room.
Soo-Ah and Min-Joon were right behind Skullee, but since he was quite big, the others couldn't see them and panicked.
"What the hell is that?" someone yelled. "I thought this was supposed to be a safe place!"
"Are those… are those more monsters?"
"Someone kill it!"
People were scared because monsters were the last thing they expected to see in that place. Suddenly, Hoon jumped before the crowd carrying his spear.
Since it was just a skeleton, he thought it was the perfect chance to show off and become the leader. With some luck, he might even catch the attention of some cute girls along the way and create a harem like he had been planning.
"Kwan, Seok, take it down!" he barked, instructing two of his lackeys to attack.
"Why us?" Seok commented.
"Just do as I said!" Hoon yelled back.
The two boys hesitated for a second before charging towards Skullee. However, it didn't flinch at their attack. Their blows didn't even scratch its bone as it kept moving forward, ignoring the attacks.
Suddenly, a voice rang out, stopping Seok and Kwan before they did something stupid.
"Stop!" Soo-Ah yelled, coming into view.
Min-Joon was right by her side as they walked to the front to face the confused crowd.
"These are my creations," Soo-Ah clarified, staring at Kwan and Seok. "They won't harm anyone here unless I tell them, or you attack me."
Hoon lowered his spear and walked towards them, still on edge.
"If they wouldn't harm anyone, why are Jaehwan and others in such a state?" he said, pointing his spear toward Skullee.
"I know it... looks suspicious—" Soo-Ah tried explaining, but Min-Joon jumped the gun.
"It wasn't us! YuWon did it!"
Soo-Ah could only stare at Min-Joon in anger as the room fell silent. Almost everyone in the auditorium was aware of YuWon.
But none of them could believe a limping, frail-looking guy like YuWon could beat three level 4s by himself. But none were more surprised than Hoon.
Hoon only sent Jaehwan and the others to find more survivors, because he knew Jaehwan could handle the goblins on his own. But he was supposed to believe YuWon knocked out all three of them by himself?
Could he be taking revenge?
That was the first thought in Hoon's head. He was the one who had caused him the most grief over the last year. Even in the morning, he had continuously slapped him.
YuWon didn't show any will to fight back then. How could he change in a matter of a few hours? Hoon couldn't decide whether to be afraid or angry.
"Stop fucking with me!" Hoon snapped and grabbed Min-Joon by the collar. "Are you telling me a weak, pathetic bastard like him could put someone in this state?"
"Weak?" Min-Joon scoffed before pushing Hoon back and pointing at Skullee. "Do you see that thing? He is the one who killed it!"
"What?" Hoon mumbled, before looking at Skullee. "He killed this thing...?"
Soo-Ah took a deep breath and nodded. Thanks to Min-Joon's big mouth, everyone would hate YuWon even more.
Some might even start fearing him, and that made her remember YuWon's expression before he left. She wasn't sure if people being afraid of him was a good thing.
Hoon, on the other hand, was worried. YuWon was still out there, and from the looks of Jaehwan and his lackeys, he wasn't the same person they used to bully.
At that moment, YuWon appeared before him like a wounded predator, lying in wait, ready to strike back at those who had hurt him. But then another thought appeared, one that calmed him down.
There were over eighty students and around twenty teachers in the auditorium. No matter how strong YuWon had become, there was no way he could take all of them on by himself.
If he shows up here, he'll make an enemy out of everyone. Yeah... as long as I stick to groups, there's nothing YuWon can do to me.
However, Soo-Ah interrupted his thoughts.
"They should be glad YuWon left them alive after they attacked him first."
"They… attacked him?" he asked.
When Min-Joon said YuWon had hurt Jaehwan and others, he assumed YuWon was out for revenge. But if Jaehwan had attacked first, then maybe… maybe this wasn't about revenge and YuWon hadn't lost his marbles.
At that moment, Yeji, who had been watching the conversation from the sidelines, walked up to them.
"How do you know YuWon?" she asked, with a hint of concern.
"He… he saved my life," Soo-Ah said, pointing at Skullee. "I was being chased by this guy here, and YuWon killed it."
Earlier when she heard YuWon was alive, she silently thanked the god. When she didn't see YuWon anywhere in the auditorium, she got scared, thinking he had died.
"And where is he now?" Yeji pressed on, ignoring the look Hoon was giving her.
"No idea. He left alone after the fight with Jaehwan." Soo-Ah shook her head before pointing at Jaehwan's lackeys, being treated for their wounds. "They told us about the safe zone, so we came here."
Yeji sighed. It wasn't what she wanted to hear and hoped YuWon would come to the auditorium, where it was safe—where she could keep an eye on him.
Despite everything, despite what he had done to her, she didn't want him to die out there.
In contrast, Hoon wanted the opposite. He hoped YuWon would die before meeting him. Because he knew YuWon wouldn't spare him like he spared Jaehwan.
But no matter how much he feared what YuWon might do next, he knew he couldn't let it show. He wanted to become the leader there, and no one wanted a weak leader.
However, before he could do anything, there was a loud explosion as something fell out into the courtyard from above. A few students rushed to look through the windows, only to realize it was a goblin.
But something felt off.
It wasn't a goblin they had seen before. The goblin was seven feet tall and... was a female with white hair. But that wasn't all. She was carrying something, or someone, to be precise.
As the cloud of dust and debris cleared, Yeji and Soo-Ah gasped in horror when they saw that the person the monster was holding was YuWon, battered and covered in blood.