Chapter 17

In the midst of a crisis, a chat appeared like a lifeline.

주딱☆: Are you alive? You okay?

I had never been so grateful for such a deflating message.

Eliana quickly typed while crouching to avoid the Bone Dragon’s mana breath.

풀피엘프: I’m about to die!!!

풀피엘프: Can you help me, anything at all?!

주딱☆: Yeah, that’s exactly why I contacted you.

To 주딱, 풀피엘프 was an enthusiastic new recruit.

Even after being forcibly granted the title of unpaid Deputy, they were dutifully working while eyeing tactical nuclear weapons—like a slave, or rather, a worker.

Knowing 풀피엘프 was indeed an elf, it was only natural to assume they would be caught in the waves of Elard.

[주딱☆ has offered 10 High-Explosive Grenades.]

주딱☆: The only way to trade is by barter. Just post anything. I’ll trade right away.

풀피엘프: Okay, but it’s urgent! The situation is pretty ugh…

주딱☆: ?

“GRAAAAH!”

“Aaaah!”

The Bone Dragon swung its tail.

Where did that strength come from in that mere skeleton? The wood was simply sliced through by the swishing tail.

Eliana’s eyes whirled rapidly.

“I need to register something for trade, anything!”

Yet all around was engulfed in blue flames, turning to ash, and merely burning brightly.

“GRAAAAH!”

At that very moment, fire erupted from the Bone Dragon’s gaping maw.

“!”

Barely escaping it, but her long hair was scorched.

Charred strands of hair fell from Eliana’s hands like rain.

Simultaneously, something brushed against her head.

“This… this won’t do!”

A method sprang to mind that tempted her, but she quickly shook her head.

She thought about sending at least her clothes, but there was nothing sharp enough to cut the fabric.

And sending jewelry was out of the question—she had none.

In the end, she tied her severed hair together and braided it into a bracelet.

[풀피엘프 has offered ‘Insignia made of Elf’s Braided Hair.’]

풀피엘프: Here it is!!!

주딱☆: Oookay, trade confirmed.

[Trade successful.]

“We did it!”

풀피엘프 wanted to raise her hands in a cheer.

She knew what 주딱’s items were worth more than anyone else.

As the Deputy, she was aware of how absurdly powerful they were.

‘주딱 solved the continent’s food crisis all on his own.’

Whatever came next would surely exceed her expectations.

However, what appeared with a flash were 10 rugged, hard canisters.

“What? What?!”

They were barely the size of her hand.

Perfectly manageable size.

As 풀피엘프 was trying to wrap her head around it, a new message popped up.

주딱☆: Hold it.

주딱☆: Use your other hand to pull the pin.

주딱☆: Throw it, okay?

풀피엘프: Are you kidding me right now?!

You want me to use them like slingshots?!

풀피엘프 felt a surge of emotion.

“I thought we were friends!”

She thought they had built a rapport, attracted by the quirkiness of someone from another world.

There was some degree of affection too.

But was it all just a misunderstanding?

Her vision blurred with unshed tears, but Eliana bit her lip tight.

“Ugh! I’m outta here!”

She had no choice but to believe it was either that or die.

Just then, a claw shot through the corner where Eliana was hiding.

“AAAH!”

Eliana felt a harsh tear across her shoulder.

Her eyes widened in shock as she felt excruciating pain.

At least it was a relief that the wound wasn’t too deep.

Picking herself up!

Eliana swiftly pulled out the pin with an elf’s unique agility and glared at the Bone Dragon.

“Do NOT die because of this!”

“GRAAAAH?!”

With ‘do NOT’ serving as her ultimate move, she hurled a High-Explosive Grenade with all her might.

The grenade left her hand, soaring in a graceful arc, and headed straight for the Bone Dragon’s skull!

Thunk.

“Uh… huh?”

The grenade bounced off with a ringing sound, rolling right to the dragon’s feet.

“GRAAAAH.”

The Bone Dragon looked down at the object, bewildered.

Eliana’s hope turned to despair in an instant.

Could it be that 주딱 was just messing with her?

Was she simply the meaningless Deputy No. 1?!

If she was going to die like this, she should have eaten chicken first!

[Typing…]

Content: 주딱 you bastard!!!

A myriad of thoughts raced through her mind, as she tried to leave a final farewell message in the chat room.

Boom!!!

“AAAH?!”

Overwhelming violence erupted amidst the silence.

*

A massive explosion shook the earth.

There were no forewarnings, no traces of mana—just a sudden BOOM out of nothing!

“What, how is this possible…”

Even from outside the blast radius, Eliana stumbled backward, slowly lifting her head.

What greeted her eyes were the bones of the Bone Dragon, seemingly perfect for making broth.

And an elf army that had rushed to help, rendered dumbfounded.

“Ha, hahaha…”

Eliana let out a nervous laugh.

Was that latest theory of 주딱’s about no-casting, no-mana techniques actually valid?!

“주딱, you were an Advanced Magician?!”

No, this was far beyond being just an Advanced Magician.

Perfectly implementing magic and storing it in objects was work only a Great Magician could achieve.

No, even Great Magicians hadn’t accomplished something like this.

Amidst the shockwaves of the explosion, her hair disheveled, she trembled.

An elf blended amidst the army murmured while activating the system.

“Wow, legendary shit.”

It was clear that this battle’s footage would be talked about for at least a year.

*

Subject: Typical abilities of 주딱…jpg

(GIF of Eliana fiddling with the grenade)

(GIF of the grenade rolling harmlessly on the ground)

(GIF of the camera shaking with the unexpected explosion)

(GIF of the Bone Dragon’s shattered remains once the smoke cleared)

Ah… is this the elegance of 주딱?

“I’m convinced… 주멘!”

Votes Up 999, Votes Down 15

[Comments]

– Woooooah, what the hell…

– I almost had a heart attack watching that.

– You’re a 5-circle magician, but there was no trace of mana or casting. For real, how did you do that?

– My heart is racing. What have I been doing all this time in magic?

– Peak of magic.

– Right? Haha, is this just some mana manipulation video?

– You conspiracy theorists should just leave the gallery already.

– You guys don’t believe the Great War even happened, huh? Haha.

– Are we finally surpassing the circle’s limits?

– What’s the deal with 주딱? There’s nothing known about his race.

– He’s just giving those away by the dozen? 주딱 legit a big player!

– No, 주딱 is an elf!

– Wow, shut it elf scum!!!

Subject: Wait, what do I do now?

I kept teasing 주딱 for being a fool, but seeing that made me break into a cold sweat.

Could he really pinpoint positions and make them explode like that?

주딱, I’m really sorry! Please let me live just once…

– How can you still be so informal when your life’s at stake?

– This guy is unhinged…

Concept Post: Is 주딱 a Great Magician?

(A GIF of a face filled with dread)

주딱, did you deceive us?

Votes Up 523, Votes Down 18

[Comments]

– This just can’t be explained unless it’s a Great Magician.

– Even as a Great Magician, it doesn’t account for this.

– For real, if it was possible, someone would have developed it long ago.

– No-casting, no-mana instant magic? This is revolutionary!

– One thing’s for sure, the ‘outside’ will be normalized again.

– The normalization of Monsters…

– You resolved the food crisis! You’ve solved the waves! Damn! You did it all!

“Is this really happening?”

The gallery was bustling without a moment’s rest.

After experiencing the waves first and now being flipped upside down by modern civilization.

There are several kinds of magic that produce explosions, but using one with no casting or any mana trace was unfathomable.

Thanks to that, the chaos of asking for explanations and disclosures erupted.

Trying to quell the atmosphere, I attempted to reply…

주딱☆: I don’t know any magic! It’s just some weapons I used to see back where I was.

– Where the heck did you come from?

– You need to tell a believable lie to pretend it’s true!

– 주딱, please take me as your disciple. Just let me be one, and I’ll obey you like a dog!

– Haha, how pathetic.

– Seriously, I said it first, and you just chimed in, huh?

– ?

The attempts at calming the storm were futile.

This was how things should be in a gallery, after all—chaotic and chaotic.

While I scanned the bracelet on my wrist, amidst all the uproar and confusion.

“I’m using it for now, but…”

I didn’t really know what effect it had.

It looked simple, made of hair, yet it was called ‘Insignia made of Elf’s Braided Hair’, so it probably had some hidden ability.

I thought to ask 풀피엘프 about the bracelet’s hidden powers next time, since a new type of post had just appeared in the gallery.

– 주딱, I’m the representative of the Rabbit Beastfolk. Please read this just once! Meow.

“What now?”

A new kind of post from the loner Rabbit Beastfolk caught my attention.