Chapter 7: From their perspective

The Erosion Zone is gone.

The filthy, washed-out purple land, like mixed paint, has turned into barren black soil.

Proof the Gate is destroyed.

That means someone in this lab took out those monsters and smashed the Gate.

The person who unleashed that heart-pounding attack is in there.
Reason enough to go.

The surrounding Erosion Entities are no match anymore.
Without their zone or commanding unit, they’re just confused strays now.

Hup.
With a quick shout, I release mana from my body.
The creatures vanish instantly.

My cleared vision catches Manager Hana sprinting toward the lab.

Senior Hana, you can’t hog all the good stuff.

“Kweeeek—?”
“Move.”

A light kick sends one’s head flying.

I’ve gotta catch up.

I focus mana into my hand.
It slithers up my arm like a snake.

I take my stance, aim, and—

“Hoo.”
—Paaang!

I shoot my arm forward.
A punch surges like a storm, twisting with my hand’s motion.

Wish I had my spear.
It fit my hand so well.
Who gave it to me?
A classmate from the Magic Tower?
Can’t recall the name or face.

The storm clears my path.

“I’m coming to meet you.”

So cute.

And so beautiful.

That fragile look, like she’ll collapse any moment.
Yet she’s this strong.

I came, drawn by her power, but what’s with this appearance?
It’s unfair!

Contradictory qualities.
Like seeing something impossible, unreal.

For the first time, I gave someone a gift.
Never done that before.
Like an offering.
When her tiny hand took my gift, I felt like I could pierce the sky.

Is this how people felt giving me gifts?

That fairy-like girl vanished.

No, we just couldn’t track her movements.
By the time we noticed, she was gone, leaving only a trail of dust stretching outside.
She didn’t vanish—she escaped.

Such a shy kid.

My guess was right.
She took out the Gate and Gatekeepers with that attack.
That speed—I couldn’t match half of it.

I felt it the moment I saw her.

Leaving the Erosion Entity cleanup and heart collection to Section 2, I recklessly followed Senior Hana into the lab.

I saw her rant about the experiments here, but it didn’t hit me.
My mind was fixed on that spectacle from the lab.

That unstoppable force, shooting straight through.
Nothing could block it.

Midway, without a new spear, I got a crowbar as a “weapon.”
Whatever, I’ll take it.
My spear substitute for now.

After passing a few areas, we reached a massive circular plaza where the Gate likely was.
There, we saw a girl, bleeding from her body, painfully coughing up blood.
Trembling, trying to hack it out.

She’s the one who caused that attack.

I knew it instinctively.
Senior Hana, Section 2’s manager, ex-specialist, and veteran of countless dangers, tensed up too.
She must’ve sensed something.
She looks grumpy and rude, but deep down, she’s kind.

I rushed forward.
She looked startled but I grabbed her arms tight so she couldn’t run.

Her body flinched.
So fresh.
A kid this strong, panicking like that?

Don’t go.
Talk to me.
Who are you?
What do you like?

She was a picture painted in red.
Her clothes were blood-soaked, but the untainted white patches showed her outfit was originally white.

Blood-stained, understated blonde hair.
A frail body that looked ready to collapse.
She could be called a work of art.

I imagined a burly guy or someone like Senior Hana, but this was unexpected in every way.

I’m so lucky to witness this.

I tried talking to her, but Senior Hana kept interrupting.
Hmph.
Mean senior.
Boo.

Hana asked about her condition, but she didn’t answer, lost in thought.
I just held her close, touching her.

Her talking to Hana made me a bit jealous, so I wiped her face to cover her eyes.

I got a face full of attitude.
Wow, how does she make that expression?
I moved my hand to show Hana, but it snapped back.
Her judgment’s fast.

She seemed deep in thought but kept squirming to get free.

I’m so sad.

I’ve never been avoided like this.
Normally, my bright smile draws everyone to me.

But I still like her.

I press closer, hearing her breathing.
Warm, cozy.

So nice.

I feel her blood soaking into my uniform, but I don’t care.
Her occasional coughs and trembling are kinda cute.

Wow, am I possessed or something?

While bickering with Senior Hana over her and reluctantly loosening my grip to call the medical team, she slipped through my fingers like smoke.

The kid ran far away.

Bloodstains on my hands and clothes.
Her last trace.

Ahh.

The battle’s over.
The one who resolved a nation-threatening crisis didn’t care much, but news spread that the incident was resolved.

And…

“F*ck… how do I even explain this?! What, say some Avengers showed up and saved the day?!”
“Haha, don’t stress, Senior. That’s the report writer’s problem.”
“You… don’t know who’s writing the report, do you?”

The black-haired woman, Lee Hana, from Wolgeum Agency’s Section 2, sits at her desk, muttering curses, wracking her brain.

Beside her, Han Sua, the brown-haired woman, swings her legs on the desk’s edge.
She just realized her true personality, a tragic figure with a bleak future.

Sua tilts her head.

“That’s you, Manager Hana, right?”
“Great. You’re dead today.”

—Crash!

Hana flips the desk.
The whole thing.

Her massive iron desk spins through the air like a plastic table.
A handsome young man, Sehun, catches it just before it hits the floor, ending the chaos.

Clap clap clap.

“Nice catch, Senior Sehun!”
“Ugh… kid, you make every day a struggle. Behave…”

Before the desk flew, Sua spun like a gymnast, landing artfully.
She claps for Sehun, who’s sprawled on the floor holding the desk.

—Crack.

“Oh.”
“Gotcha, you brat.”

Didn’t expect Hana’s hand to grab her head, huh?
Lifted like a cat by the scruff, Sua dangles, frozen.

Hana massages her scalp with grip strong enough to crush a dumbbell.

“Kweeeeng! Senior Sehun, help!”
“Rest in peace.”

Just die.
I’m really gonna die!
Hahaha.

Sua meant to lighten Hana’s mood with a small prank, but her humor doesn’t mesh with her boss.
Not just Hana—everyone gets mad at her jokes.
But Sua keeps at it, unfazed.

She claims her humor’s fine; it’s everyone else who’s wrong.
Her little sister doesn’t get mad at her jokes, she says.

Does she know her sister’s given up on her?

For a while, Section 2 of Wolgeum Agency echoed with screams.

“So… anyone gonna help lift this desk? I’m just a weak intern…”

The tall, charming young man still holds the iron desk.

I tweaked Sia’s personality a bit.

How’d I tweak it?

No clue.

It’ll work out somehow.

Not much different from the original, right?