Chapter 134

Seeing that, I let out a long sigh of relief, only to realize Yoo Woo-jung was staring straight at me.

“Getting angry is super sexy. I’m wet.”

“Crazy, why are you saying that in this situation?”

“If not now, when else would I say something like that?”

As expected, she had a knack for talking nonsense.

Meanwhile, I noticed Si-ho was quietly watching me with slightly relaxed eyes.

When our eyes met, Si-ho’s face turned red, and she quickly looked away.

“I’ll, I’ll go and block them.”

With those words, Si-ho used Space Movement and disappeared. I shot a glance at Woo-jung.

Woo-jung, feeling guilty, also transformed and dashed out.

Watching them, I sighed and turned to Ji-eun and Sa-ran beside her.

Ji-eun was still activating her Bonding ability, and Sa-ran was looking at her with concern.

The Spirit Collective was still unresolved.

The spirits, agitated by Ilbeli, were preventing anyone from approaching.

Everyone knew there was something inside causing the spirits to go berserk.

But in this state, there was no way to help.

“Brother Ha-chan, I promised to stay with that child.”

At that moment, Ji-eun spoke.

As if proving her Bonding was going out of control, blood trickled down her nose.

“I want to save that child.”

But Ji-eun’s eyes shone brighter than ever.

With Sa-ran’s mental abilities rebounding, Ji-eun’s help would be essential to rescue the child inside the Spirit Collective.

Ilbeli wasn’t dead yet.

‘If I had finished it in one shot.’

This wouldn’t have happened, but I knew that was an arrogant thought.

Then, buying time now, it was wiser to follow Ji-eun’s plan and save the child.

“Ji-eun, it might be dangerous.”

Sa-ran had already warned her once.

She said Ji-eun’s Bonding was too intense and going out of control.

“But I’m a Hunter.”

That one word silenced me.

A Hunter, Ji-eun was indeed a Hunter.

“Brother Ha-chan said it, right? Hunters save people from Dimensional Beings, and it’s always a dangerous job.”

If Ji-eun avoids danger now, it becomes a threat to someone else.

Ji-eun, who studied the duties of a Hunter harder than anyone, knew this well.

And it was none other than me who taught her that.

Ji-eun, who always seemed so young, was striving to become a true person.

I’m the leader, and Ji-eun is a Hunter.

A Hunter on my team wants to save someone.

As the leader, my role was already decided.

A faint smile appeared on my lips as I looked at Ji-eun.

“Ji-eun, can you do it?”

Ji-eun, meeting my gaze, opened her eyes wide and nodded with a confident smile.

“Then I’ll leave it to you. We’ll handle the rest.”

“Yes!”

With those words, Ji-eun began to approach the Spirit Collective.

With Dimensional Beings pouring out everywhere, the Spirit Collective was also stuck in place.

As Ji-eun approached, the gathered spirits, looking angry, tried to attack her.

“It’s okay. I’m not here to harm you.”

Ji-eun tried to soothe the spirits by using more Bonding.

But it was insufficient to calm the already berserk spirits.

Splat!

At that moment, a spirit hurled an ice chunk at Ji-eun.

Ji-eun, having used too much Bonding, was slow to react.

But I deflected the attack before it reached her and said,

“Don’t worry. Keep going.”

Hearing my encouragement, Ji-eun clenched her fists.

“I’ll help.”

At that moment, Sa-ran joined Ji-eun’s side.

“Though I can’t do anything about the one who made the spirits like this, I can calm the other spirits.”

“Sa-ran.”

Ji-eun smiled at Sa-ran.

“Thank you.”

With that, Ji-eun and Sa-ran simultaneously began using their mental abilities.

As if resonating, their mental abilities influenced the spirits, and the berserk spirits gradually began to calm down.

“Make way. I need to get to that child.”

Seeing the spirits, Ji-eun pleaded earnestly, and the spirits hesitated before slowly making way.

Ji-eun’s sincerity had reached them.

Ji-eun began to step forward.

Watching her from behind, I tightened my grip on Bazra and turned.

I had to buy time until Ji-eun could persuade the child inside.

I sliced through the head of a Dimensional Being that popped up beside me.

It was time to show the results of the training I received from Ayu and Baeksan.

Inside the Spirit Collective.

Surrounded entirely by spirits, Sa-ran nervously swallowed.

She knew well that even a slight misstep could turn them into minced meat in an instant.

But more than that, Sa-ran was worried about Ji-eun.

Ji-eun’s mental overload was getting worse.

Her Bonding with the child was mixing their worlds to the point of confusion.

‘This is bad.’

Ji-eun was in danger.

Sa-ran recalled what Ha-chan had told her.

If Ji-eun was in danger, cut the Bonding immediately.

Sa-ran had agreed to do so.

‘Isn’t that now?’

Now, there would be a mental shock, but she could safely sever the Bonding.

If they went further, even Sa-ran couldn’t guarantee she could cut it.

At that moment, Ji-eun took Sa-ran’s hand.

“I’m fine, don’t worry.”

Feeling the warmth of her hand, Sa-ran bit her lip.

Simultaneously, Sa-ran realized Ji-eun was shedding another layer.

A Hunter’s Awakening.

It’s not just the first Awakening.

Hunters are often mocked as instant ability users.

Most Hunters spend their lives walking in place.

But occasionally, there are those who Awaken again and grow.

Just like Returners who grow endlessly in extreme situations.

Hunters also Awaken again when placed in extreme situations.

And Sa-ran knew well how important that moment was for a Hunter.

Hunters also want to grow stronger.

That moment had come for Ji-eun.

At that moment, blood trickled from Ji-eun’s eyes.

The continuous Bonding beyond her limits was starting to take a toll on her body.

Yet, Ji-eun refused to release the Bonding.

Because she had promised Ha-chan to save the child.

A promise made directly to the person she liked.

She had no intention of giving up.

“…Alright.”

Sa-ran began to take on the burden of the spirits so Ji-eun could focus entirely.

She also gave her all to help Ji-eun reach the child faster.

With Sa-ran’s help, Ji-eun began to move forward.

Once again, a dark space unfolded before Ji-eun.

[Sniff, sob.]

The sound of crying echoed in her ears.

Where Ji-eun arrived, the golden child was crying again.

[I don’t want to. I’m scared. Save me.]

In this strange place, fearing being swallowed by Ilbeli, the child could only cry.

Lost and chased by a bad person, all a child could do was run away in fear.

Ji-eun approached and hugged the child again.

Feeling Ji-eun’s warmth, the child finally looked up.

And once again, the child was surprised that she had entered their world.

“Sorry, I’m late.”

Ji-eun held the child and patted their head.

Feeling the warmth, the child’s crying gradually subsided.

[…Why again?]

“I told you earlier I’d stay by your side.”

[But the monster keeps chasing me.]

“It’s okay. I can’t do anything about the monster, but the person I trust most in the world has taken care of it.”

Ji-eun smiled warmly at the child.

She wasn’t particularly good at talking, but she had Bonding.

Her sincerity was reaching the child more clearly than anyone else’s.

Simultaneously, what the child had seen was being conveyed to her.

The child, still immature, was one who grew up loved in the spirit world.

But caught up in a sudden Dimensional Gate, the child was thrown into a remote place, lost and filled with fear, calling out to other spirits.

But none of the spirits the child knew were there.

The unfamiliar spirits tried to comfort and stay with the child, but the fear didn’t go away.

Then Ilbeli appeared.

Sensing the child’s energy, Ilbeli relentlessly chased the child as prey.

Each time, the child ran away, and now was truly lost.

All the child could do was cry.

But the crying was stopping.

The warmth of being held was easing the child’s fear.

“There’s someone who believes in me.”

Someone who believed in her completely.

That alone made Ji-eun feel she could do anything.

“So, I’ll be your place to return to here.”

Just like Ha-chan.

She wanted to be that kind of person.

Ji-eun told the child.

[Really?]

The child asked with a trembling voice.

Looking at the child, Ji-eun smiled brightly like a blooming flower.

“Yes, it’s a promise.”

Holding the child’s small hand, she hooked their pinkies.

With that, flowers of various colors began to bloom in the dark world.

A petal-filled wind blew through her hair.

In that wind, Ji-eun saw the child finally smiling.

The world was slowly returning to normal.

“…Ah!”

At that moment, a voice reached her ears.

With blurred vision, she felt a burning sensation inside.

Her throat felt scorching and painful.

Her whole body began to ache.

Among it all, the pain in her head threatened to knock her out.

Ji-eun saw Sa-ran.

Desperately calling out to wake her, Ji-eun tried to speak but no voice came out.

‘Brother Ha-chan.’

Even in the burning pain, Ji-eun wanted to see Ha-chan.

Just as her body was about to give way.

Thump-

Someone caught her.

When Ji-eun faintly opened her eyes, there was the face she had been wanting to see.

His wide eyes were filled with sweat on his forehead.

The faint currents flowing from his body told her he had pushed through the spirits to get here.

Appearing at the moment she wanted to see him most.

Feeling the overwhelming emotions, Ji-eun carefully reached out and touched his cheek.

“Bro…ther.”

Her voice barely came out.

With that voice, tears filled her eyes as she spoke each word carefully.

“Sorry… I… really… like you.”

And she poured out all her feelings to Ha-chan like never before.

“I… can’t… give up… on you.”

It was sincere.

I might not have a narrative or charm like Si-ho.

But I liked Ha-chan more than anyone.

At this moment, I could say I liked him more than anyone in the world.

And then, her consciousness began to fade.

Ji-eun thought it was fortunate that the last thing she saw was Ha-chan’s face.

Something began to flow into her mouth.

As it spread through her body, Ji-eun felt herself gradually relaxing.

“Ji-eun.”

The voice she wanted to hear tickled her.

As Ji-eun slowly opened her eyes, Ha-chan smiled at her in relief.

“Feeling a bit better?”

“Y-yeah.”

A slightly embarrassed tone came from Ji-eun.

And her cheeks turned bright red.

She remembered how she had spoken like a tragic heroine in a movie just moments ago.

‘So embarrassing!’

Yet, she felt pathetic for being happy to be in Ha-chan’s arms in this situation.

Seeing Ji-eun like that, Ha-chan let out a sigh of relief.

What he had given Ji-eun was the Hwandan Ayu always carried.

The Hwandan Ayu insisted on keeping in her pocket, telling her not to get hurt.

It was for emergencies, but it was effective.

‘I should thank Ayu.’

Though I might get scolded.