Chapter 88

〈Episode 89〉 Special Coffin, Just Kill the Monsters

While pressing down her fluttering hanbok skirt, she gazes at the downtown area filled with monsters.

Thanks to her position on the rooftop, the situation was clear at a glance.

Citizens frantically evacuating.

Police officers and firefighters guiding them.

Heroes dispatched to protect people, fighting fiercely.

And… Hwagcheon?

‘What are those bastards doing here?’

They wouldn’t move even if someone died unless there’s something in it for them.

Could they be trying to manage their image all of a sudden?

Or is this about money?

Well, if they want to fight on their own, no need to worry about them.

“The situation’s getting interesting.”

Yu-jin Kim’s master, and Strong Hero ranked martial artist, Tae-jin Kim mutters while observing the scene before him.

Two things particularly catch her eye.

One is obviously Yu-jin Kim.

The kid is inexplicably or perhaps fatefully at this scene.

Running around everywhere, enthusiastically smashing monsters.

It goes without saying that many people have been directly or indirectly helped by him in the process.

He truly is her disciple, isn’t he?

Each punch carries an astonishing amount of power.

At that level, he could probably easily beat most active-duty heroes.

His stamina is incredible; he can run around for ages without tiring.

‘Who would’ve thought this guy would be considered Hwagcheon’s successor?’

She’s felt it from the start but yeah, this kid’s personality is weird.

As Hwagcheon’s successor, he’s out helping people first thing.

He’s not lacking in money or power.

Yet, Yu-jin is purely motivated by goodwill.

Knowing this makes her smile warmly.

‘It’s disappointing that he hardly uses the techniques I taught him, but I guess that’s just his nature.’

For someone like Yu-jin, simple fighting might be better than complicated techniques.

Besides, he’s only been training for a week anyway.

In that sense, the other one is quite intriguing too.

Tae-jin’s eyes now turn towards a black knight who’s been fighting somewhere nearby.

“Sky Piercing Sword… Could it really be?”

Sky Piercing Sword is a sword technique Tae-jin herself created over ten years ago.

Since she doesn’t use swords anymore, she doesn’t teach it either.

Still, she takes pride in it being a powerful technique.

So it’s fascinating that someone using it has appeared.

If the user, the knight, is this strong, it’s definitely worth noting.

‘Looks like he’s about Yu-jin’s age, yet his skill is impressive. Amazing.’

Overall strength-wise, Yu-jin is probably stronger.

But this guy compensates with impeccable technique.

His understanding of each move is profound.

Just how much effort must he have put in to achieve such mastery?

Tae-jin can clearly see the grueling process he went through.

“This is fun, very fun indeed.”

Before long, Tae-jin finds herself smiling as she watches both of them.

She just came down for some casual entertainment, but who knew such gems were growing in the secular world?

“Hek! Hek! Seriously, say something before you disappear!”

Turning suddenly, she sees Yu-jin’s homeroom teacher, Ji-hye, rushing over.

Panting heavily, she tries to catch her breath.

Being more of a theorist, her stamina isn’t great.

……

“Why did you follow me here?”

“In case you disappeared again!”

Admittedly, it does feel unfair…

But given her illustrious past, there’s no excuse to offer.

Ji-hye stands beside Tae-jin with a huff.

“So what exactly are you looking at?”

“Just watching how well the kids are fighting.”

“…Shouldn’t Mr. Kim participate directly? It’d be helpful.”

“If adults like me destroy everything, the kids won’t grow.”

Indeed, with Tae-jin’s skills, this battlefield would be resolved instantly.

But that wouldn’t serve any purpose.

She won’t always be around to handle every situation, after all.

“Anyway, thanks to everyone’s efforts, it’s not overly dangerous. Of course, I’ll step in if things get dire, but we’re not there yet.”

“Hmm, what about those things?”

Ji-hye points skyward.

At that moment, coincidentally, several monster-like creatures land on the roof.

Have these mindless monsters been drawn by strong magic?

They quickly surround her.

Tae-jin bares her teeth at them and says,

“Well, guys foolish enough to attack me are exceptions.”

BOOM!

Almost simultaneously, the monsters’ heads fly off.

Their bodies collapse, ending the fight.

It didn’t take even a second.

From Ji-hye’s perspective, she couldn’t even see Tae-jin move.

She swung her arm, and the monsters exploded.

That’s all she saw.

“……You’re still amazing. If the kids become as strong as Mr. Kim, there’d be nothing to worry about.”

“Haha! They should surpass me!”

With a casual flick of her hand, Tae-jin laughs heartily.

“But are you really okay with this? The civilians may be fine now, but those kids fighting the monsters are truly in danger.”

Teacher Ji-hye worriedly looks at Chul-soo.

The monster he’s facing is different from the others.

This must be the leader of the monsters.

And it has what appears to be its underlings nearby.

At a glance, it’s clear Chul-soo is being overwhelmed.

Back when Tae-jin was young, their generation was called heroes.

But it wasn’t some license casually handed out by an association.

Back then, the concept of “hero” hadn’t even fully taken root.

Power users killed the appearing monsters.

People cheered them on, calling them heroes.

The fighters took pride in that name.

“That title was only given to those who genuinely saved people. A name granted only to those who fought with firm beliefs and strength.”

“That… Things are different now, though.”

In modern times, there are no such heroes working with true heroism.

Though they’re called “heroes,” they aren’t real ones.

They’re merely businesses aimed at making money.

In a way, that’s inevitable.

Even a renowned doctor can’t treat patients without payment.

Some heroes even engage in illegal activities to make money.

It’s hard to say it’s wrong to become a hero for profit when their actions save lives regardless.

Still, Tae-jin only offers a bitter smile at this.

“Regardless, the fundamentals haven’t changed. Sure, fighting safely in already cleared dungeons might work.”

With sufficient manpower and equipment,

and in peak condition, executing a perfect strategy,

you can swiftly defeat the monsters and win.

Wouldn’t the world be wonderful if things were that simple?

“Fighting in confined spaces, with much to protect, and unexpected battles—these harsh environments are where the ‘real ones’ stand out.”

“…”

After saying this, Tae-jin happily turns her gaze forward again.

“Anyway, let’s watch as educators. Let’s see if these brats have what it takes to become true successors to us heroes.”

*…

-Intermediate Magic: Lightning Strike

The class president’s lightning strikes hit the monster.

The monster shakes violently before turning completely black.

Its heavy body collapses.

The class president lets out a sigh, leaning against the wall.

Sweat soaks her from using magic.

“Ugh, my chest is sweaty. It feels awful.”

The class president subtly checks her surroundings.

Thankfully, no one’s around.

She pulls up her shirt enough to expose her chest.

It’s a bit embarrassing, but it’s better than feeling uncomfortable during battle.

She places a towel between her breasts and wipes away the sweat from her cleavage and beneath her chest.

She feels slightly refreshed.

“Hmph, definitely different in real combat.”

Fighting monsters at the academy was honestly easy.

The monsters there mostly come with adjustable difficulty levels.

Sure, during survival tests, she fought monstrous beasts with two heads.

But back then, Yu-jin and Chul-soo were there.

With their overwhelming strength leading the charge, the fights remained stable.

Because of that, the class president could fight comfortably.

But now, being alone makes a big difference.

‘There’s too much to worry about.’

Can I handle this monster?

Is there anyone nearby who needs more help?

Will there be an unseen ambush?

I need to keep my nerves sharp for everything around me.

This naturally reduces my combat effectiveness.

I’m mentally and physically exhausted.

The stamina drain is incomparable to training.

‘…Or maybe I’ve relied on others too much.’

I want to become stronger.

To fight decisively like Chul-soo.

To stand confidently like Rime.

To impress Yu-jin.

“Phew, snap out of it, idiot…”

This is real combat.

While I’m hesitating, someone else might get hurt.

There’s no time to waste.

Why am I stuck envying Rime all this time?

‘…By the way, is Rime alright?’

Even as a civilian, she’s a powerhouse who can cut down boss monsters in one stroke.

Someone that strong will surely be fine, right?

That’s why Yu-jin entrusted Young-hee to her without hesitation, isn’t it?

But as mentioned, this is an emergency.

Anything can happen on the battlefield.

What if… Rime gets injured or worse, dies…?

“Shit.”

The mere thought makes her stomach churn.

She shudders at her own pitiful state.

When did this pure affection turn into jealousy and obsession?

It feels like her heart is sinking deeper into muck.

Her emotions are eating away at her, becoming grotesquely ugly.

‘But… how am I supposed to compete with someone like Rime?’

Her flowing golden hair and skin white as milk.

A face like a doll brought to life.

Not only is she knowledgeable, but also incredibly strong.

She’s the only person Yu-jin acknowledges and treats casually.

She’s even officially recognized as his fiancée by his family.

Am I supposed to compete with someone like that in matters of love?

No matter how much I try, it’ll only end in misery.

And yet, I can’t give up either.

“Huh.”

Suddenly, she sees her reflection in the window.

Is it because I’ve pushed myself too hard recently?

Somewhere along the line, my once proud status as the top student of the academy disappeared.

All that’s left is a pitiful woman clinging desperately and failing miserably.

‘No…’

Of course, there’s probably not much actual difference.

But to the class president, consumed by jealousy towards Rime, it feels that way.

‘This isn’t me…’

“Kiiiiiaaaaahhh!”

Just as she’s about to drown in negative emotions again,

another monster appears.

-Superior Magic: Gravity Crush

BOOM!

The class president immediately casts her spell.

The monster’s body crumples.

But she doesn’t stop there.

“Die.”

-Superior Magic: Gravity Crush

She fires another spell at the already incapacitated enemy.

An obvious overkill.

But it doesn’t matter. Winning isn’t the goal right now.

The monster’s body creaks disturbingly.

GURGLE! CRUNCH! RIP!

“Die, die, die, die, die.”

With dead eyes, the class president repeatedly fires spells.

The monster’s already reduced to a lump of meat, but she doesn’t care.

She keeps firing spells aimlessly, venting her frustrations.

Betraying her friend out of love and drowning in guilt.

Then failing miserably and unable to convey her feelings.

Resentment, jealousy, anxiety, regret, guilt, inferiority, obsession.

She knows she’s deeply broken somewhere.

But she can’t stop the flood of emotions.

‘Just die, all of you.’

And so, the class president keeps unleashing magic over and over again.

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