Chapter 28

This has been going on for quite a while now.

It’s already been a little over two months.

Now, Yui doesn’t attack me anymore.

She’s just focused on hunting and surviving.

In a place like this, where it’s hard to hold onto your humanity, seeing her become more “normal” somehow makes me think a lot.

Before I knew it, I was in front of Yui’s tent while lost in those thoughts.

It’s just a shabby tent, but the way she’s decorated it is kind of funny.

Though she’d probably deny it.

Looks like she lit a campfire yesterday and grilled some fish.

The remnants are still lying around.

You shouldn’t leave stuff like this lying around carelessly.

It’s not exactly threatening, but if it attracts the attention of small creatures, it’ll just be a hassle.

I kicked the remains away with my foot and woke up Yui, who was lying inside the tent.

“…What are you doing?”

She’s practically a full-blown native now.

The black clothes she used to wear are all torn up, turning into a breezy tank top and shorts.

The floor looks pretty cushy, probably because she laid down some leaves herself.

Yui, startled by my voice, sat up groggily, saw me, and then grabbed the dagger next to her in a panic.

She looked like she had no idea why she didn’t wake up sooner.

I know that feeling.

Dinosaurs have their own unique magical energy wavelengths.

It’s more primal, I guess.

Yui must have been living by sensing and reacting to that.

It’s a clumsy method, though.

In this world, there are unimaginable dangers everywhere.

Dinosaurs are just a tiny fraction of it.

If she keeps being this careless, she’ll eventually be crushed by the dangers that’ll come her way.

Well, it’s not my problem anymore.

“Watch this.”

I steadied my breathing and slowly focused my mind.

The released magical energy swirled around me, coating my body like a layer.

The key is the refraction of light.

Hiding myself from the opponent’s sight.

As I adjusted the angle of the reflected sunlight, my arm blurred and then disappeared from my own vision.

“……!”

“How’s that?”

The trick here isn’t forcibly bending the sunlight but letting it penetrate and absorb into my body.

Using the nature of magical energy.

It’s normally impossible, but I have the ability to unify attributes.

I can give my body natural properties.

The only downside is that my internal temperature keeps rising.

But of course, that’s not a problem for me.

Perfect.

I looked at Yui, who was staring at me with wide eyes.

“How… already…”

Her voice held surprise, but also a hint of disappointment.

Kids are way more perceptive than adults think. They’re sensitive to emotions around them, especially when it comes to sensing “the end.”

In fact, kids already know.

There’s no such thing as a forever fun world.

She must have realized that the moment I got what I wanted from her, this time would end in some way.

Forgetting everything and just focusing on survival.

I called Yui over, who was showing deep disappointment, and whispered to her.

“…Want me to teach you a way?”

Everyone has a moment of choice.

I’ve heard a lot of stories from Yui.

The structure of the organization and its training methods.

The vastness of their forces.

And their meticulousness and cruelty.

An assassination group with roots all over the world won’t tolerate failure.

Even if it’s the one successful creation out of tens of thousands of failures.

So there’s only one way.

We have to exploit a weakness.

Yui said there’s no control device on her body.

After all, something like that wouldn’t work on an assassin of her level.

So they focused on breaking her mind and brainwashing her.

No matter how strong she gets, she can’t resist.

In fact, Yui would tremble and faint in agony just at the thought of killing them.

I couldn’t even guess what methods they used.

But it’s not impossible.

Because I’m here.

“Hold onto this.”

I grabbed Yui’s hand and gave her a small box.

I don’t know what kind of box it is.

Belva said,

This box can store anything, and the moment it’s opened, whatever’s inside will burst out forcefully.

If I really wanted to execute my plan, I’d need this box, she said.

It was ridiculously expensive, but I invested in it.

This plan has to succeed.

Inside, I placed a small compressed Dimension Power bomb.

I also put in an expensive potion.

It’s an overly dangerous plan, but it’s the only way.

I wish I could’ve told her in advance, but people tend to show signs in their actions or expressions when they know something.

No matter how good her acting is, there’s no guarantee the leader of the assassination group wouldn’t notice.

It’s better if even Yui herself doesn’t know.

“Now go.”

At my words, Yui’s eyes welled up with tears.

Compared to when she first arrived, her emotional expressions have become so much richer.

I patted her head and leaned in close to her ear.

Then I whispered.

“Go and open this box. Everything will be resolved.”

Without even asking what I meant, Yui nodded.

As she crushed the gem inside the box, a massive surge of Dimension Power enveloped her body, and she gradually faded away.

The density is incredible.

Focus.

I can’t miss a single moment.

The moment the teleportation occurs…

I tried to analyze and understand the flow of Dimension Power.

Before I knew it, it was almost all gone.

So fast.

Now it was really time to say goodbye.

I waved my hand in the air, and just like that, Yui disappeared.

‘……’

I stared at the lingering image like an afterimage, then turned my body again.

It feels a bit strange.

Maybe I’ve grown attached over time, and I even felt a little sad.

I sincerely hope that Yui survives and comes back.

If that happens…

Then maybe I can believe it too.

*

A week later.

Belva suddenly started making a fuss.

I had a bad feeling.

“Recently, a large species has appeared, and it’s not normal.”

“Why? What’s it like?”

“It’s wandering around without a home, eating everything in its path. If this continues, it’ll come into our area.”

I took a moment to look at the place Belva mentioned.

And I was slightly horrified.

Over 100 meters in body length.

Dense muscles covering its entire body.

A massive skull that filled my vision, ignoring any sense of perspective, giving me a primal sense of dread.

It was the fear of possibly dying.

I felt like throwing up.

From the absurd density of Magic Power that I could feel even from this distance.

I didn’t even need to spread my Dimension Power.

Just by looking, I could tell how strong that dinosaur was.

With every step it took, the ground shook as if it would crumble.

Tree roots were shattered and scattered, and smaller species either fainted or died on the spot.

I couldn’t hold it in and ended up vomiting.

While still staring at the dinosaur.

“…This is it.”

My heart was pounding.

Tyrannosaurus.

Every man’s dream, right?

I still have that ‘Dinosaurs of the Korean Peninsula’ CD from my childhood at home.

I always thought if I ever ended up in the prehistoric era, I’d have to see one, and here it is.

It’s much bigger and stronger than I imagined, but still.

“……”

Before I knew it, it was looking at me.

Its sunken eye sockets with ominous glares fixed on me.

We stared at each other in silence for a while.

Without a doubt, it knew it was the predator.

*Hummm*

I spread my Dimension Power widely, resonating with it.

The trees, grass, rocks, river—everything around me could feel me.

This is my territory.

Accepting the endless greed and ferocity it radiated, I drew my sword and shield.

“Get lost.”

I can’t do this now.

I know I can’t win.

But if I back down now, it will definitely come for me.

I can’t show any weakness.

So I have to show it.

How much it will cost to kill me.

A glowing aura formed on my sword.

I raised it and pointed it at the creature.

After a moment of staring at me, it turned its body and disappeared in the opposite direction.

“Phew…”

*Groan*

This is insane. When did that thing even show up?

My hand holding the sword was trembling.

So were my legs.

My body was unconsciously tense from the overwhelming pressure.

That Tyrannosaurus isn’t done yet.

I managed to push it back for now, but it will definitely return.

When it does, there’s no avoiding a fight.

I need to prepare.

…Well, by prepare, I mean just train in magic and swing my sword a bit.

Honestly, that’s not nearly enough.

I need to improve.

The strongest technique I can use is the explosion of Dimension Power using Magic Power.

It bypasses all physical defenses and damages the inside.

The downside is that I can’t withstand it either.

It’s a double-edged sword—if I mess up, I could die.

Is there no other way?

A way to endure the explosion without relying on Belva’s abilities or potions.

[Can’t we just move the Academy’s location?]

Then, Belva chimed in.

Hmm… Logically, running away and buying time is smarter than fighting something like that.

But you know.

What choice I made before.

[But now we have Miho too…]

“Belva.”

I whispered softly.

I didn’t want to be shaken by this issue anymore.

Thankfully, Belva agreed with me.

I was grateful, and also sorry.