Chapter 69

<Episode 70> I Saw This in Spider-Man

Yu-jin was slightly taken aback at the sight before him.

“Ultimate Throw” is a pretty powerful technique, after all.

Gathering all your strength and firing it off means its destructive power is unmatched.

Even without making direct contact, the shockwave alone can send opponents flying.

There was even a time when he took down a monster trying to attack the Class President with one hit.

Clearly, it should work—

“But it doesn’t seem to be very effective?”

The magic storm remained unshaken despite taking a direct hit from Ultimate Throw.

Of course, it wasn’t completely useless.

It did manage to create a small gap allowing some progress.

But the seemingly endless storm quickly filled the void.

To make matters worse, as they ventured further inside, the storm grew even stronger.

“Can I keep going like this?”

Even if he could push forward, would he really find Young-hee?

Clenching his teeth, Yu-jin hesitantly stepped forward.

“Ugh!”

The magical force pushing against him was immense.

*Pfft!* Something sharp grazed his cheek.

A wound formed, blood trickling down.

“Is this coming from Young-hee’s body?”

This situation was far from normal.

As far as he knew, the amount of magic power in a human body is limited.

Sure, there are cases like Tae-jin Kim where an extraordinary amount exists due to individual differences.

Still, Young-hee couldn’t possibly have that much.

And yet, if Young-hee is generating this level of a magic storm…

It’s not hard to imagine what state her body must be in by now.

“Hmph, no time to stand around being hesitant.”

Certainly, the situation scared Yu-jin too.

But more than that, he feared the irreversible consequences that might arise from his hesitation.

Lost lives cannot be revived.

Having resolved himself, Yu-jin raised his arm.

“Huuuuh!”

With all his might, he swung his fist.

Just a plain old punch.

But in terms of exerting full power, it’s no different from “Ultimate Throw.”

“It seems like it might work!”

Simultaneously, he swung his other fist.

Once, twice, three times, ten times, twenty times—and the punches never stopped.

His arms continued relentlessly, each swing packed with full force.

Rime, watching nearby, was utterly baffled.

“Is he… seriously just ‘punching’ the magic storm head-on?”

Every single punch was delivered with maximum power.

No fancy martial arts or techniques involved.

He was simply smashing away wildly.

Like continuously firing missiles at a tornado, hoping it’ll eventually disappear.

An extremely simple and brutish method.

But precisely because of that, it works.

“As long as I keep counteracting the storm with sheer impact, gaps will inevitably appear…”

The magic storm may consume mages,

but simultaneously, it serves as a powerful protective barrier for them.

It’s akin to endlessly wearing down that wall.

The key point is that, regardless, there’s a limit to how much magic Young-hee can unleash at once.

If you break through faster than it regenerates…

When the impact exceeds the magic, a path opens up.

*Krunch!*

“Urgh!”

However, it wasn’t without risks for Yu-jin either.

Delivering all-out attacks dozens of times put immense strain on his bones, which creaked, and his muscles screamed in protest.

But stopping wasn’t an option.

Doing so would mean losing the opening entirely.

“Just keep moving.”

A deafening roar erupted.

The massive storm swallowed Yu-jin as if resisting.

Yu-jin forced his way through.

“Just focus on moving forward.”

..

Already nearing the center of the black magic.

At this point, retreating wasn’t even an option.

Hesitating for a moment would result in being torn apart by the dark magic.

It was akin to a natural disaster.

An ordinary person might have already fallen to their knees in fear before such overwhelming power.

But…

“Just a little more!”

Yu-jin had no knowledge of such facts.

The dangers posed by the black magic didn’t matter.

All he knew was that a friend needed saving right in front of him.

That was all Yu-jin cared about.

“OOOOOOOOOORRRRGGHHH!”

*KRAK!*

Finally, a gap appeared, and a wide path opened up.

Without hesitation, Yu-jin charged forward.

Seeing the black curtain blocking Young-hee, he mercilessly swung his fists.

*Pruuut!*

A chilling tearing sound echoed.

But it wasn’t the sound of the barrier breaking.

It was the sound coming from Yu-jin’s hand as he threw the punch.

“Solid!”

Until now, the storm was like a wall, but this felt more like a shield.

Strong enough to block even a full-powered punch.

“Get back!”

Rime shouted from atop his head.

The surrounding black magic coiled around like snakes, threatening Yu-jin from all sides.

But stopping wasn’t an option.

Missing this chance meant there might never be another.

On the other hand, failing to dodge would mean death.

At that moment—

“Heaven Piercing Sword!”

*Puuhh!*

A blue sword strike flew in from afar, cleanly slicing through the black magic.

In the distance, Chul-soo could be seen swinging his sword.

“Cough…”

Exhausted from overexertion, Chul-soo collapsed immediately afterward.

Still, his gaze remained fixed on Yu-jin.

‘This is your turn to save her.’

That’s what his eyes seemed to say.

Accepting that gaze, Yu-jin steeled his resolve.

Without hesitation, he lifted his other hand.

And clenched it even tighter.

【Conditions met: ‘Dragon Holding the Pearl’ has awakened!】

【Trait converted to ‘Path of the Black Dragon’!】

【Internal ‘Ki’ activated more strongly!】

【All stats increased!】

Though notification sounds rang out, Yu-jin ignored them.

He only felt the power in his fist growing stronger.

Then came a thunderous roar.

It was the sound of Yu-jin striking the black barrier.

The final wall surrounding Young-hee shattered instantly.

“Rime!

-Oh, seriously! I’m gonna yell at you when we get back!

With a shout, Rime rushed in.

Her tiny hands finally touched Young-hee.

And—

****

‘She’s surprisingly fine.’

Chul-soo flexed his arm thoughtfully.

How many times had he ended up in the hospital now?

The only advantage of this useless body seemed to be its fast recovery.

The doctor who examined him even earnestly suggested participating in some bio-experiments.

Well, if those experiments made him VIP-level in the hospital, maybe…

But lying on an experiment table wasting time didn’t appeal as much as quietly practicing.

‘I ultimately failed to save Young-hee.’

Thinking about it always brought a bitter smile he couldn’t suppress.

Of course, it was unavoidable.

He was aware of how hard he’d trained to the brink of death.

He’d given his all.

He never doubted his lack of talent.

That was a kind of arrogance.

He understood that countless others worked hard to reach his level.

‘Still, there was an insurmountable wall between me and Kim Yu-jin.’

Of course, there were excuses this time.

His body was injured, not in peak condition.

In fact, he’d been told his life hung in the balance.

Without proper weapons, he had to conjure magic-made ones.

In his worst condition and circumstances, with no sword, he was lucky to perform at half his usual skill.

But none of that comforted Chul-soo.

‘Even if I were in top form, what could I have done?’

He didn’t know how to stop runaway magic.

All Chul-soo could do was cry and beg.

In the end, he failed, while Kim Yu-jin succeeded.

Just that difference.

‘…So pathetic.’

Before, his mind was solely focused on saving Young-hee.

Now, doubts occasionally crept in.

Could I ever surpass Kim Yu-jin?

Maybe…

Young-hee might be happier by his side.

At least Yu-jin wouldn’t let his woman get hurt.

‘Useless thoughts.’

Chul-soo forcibly shook off his emotions.

It’s good to reflect, but not now.

“Huff.”

Chul-soo took a deep breath.

In front of him stood the door to a hospital room.

It wasn’t like they hadn’t seen each other in ages,

but perhaps because of what happened,

the tension tightened his throat as he prepared to see her.

– Knock knock.

Summoning his courage, Chul-soo knocked.

Sweat drenched his shaking hand.

From beyond the door came a familiar voice saying, “Yes~?”

Chul-soo grabbed the doorknob.

Even that simple action required monumental determination.

Opening the door revealed the hospital room.

The spacious room, faint music playing softly, and a white bed.

On it sat a girl with black hair, dressed in a patient gown, propped up slightly.

Young-hee.

The girl Chul-soo cherished above all else, whom he wanted to protect more than anything.

She slowly turned her head.

‘Ah.’

She was alive.

Amidst that desperate event, Young-hee remained perfectly well.

Her appearance hadn’t changed much.

Not her newly cut short black hair,

nor her innocent pale black eyes.

Everything was exactly as he remembered her.

Just seeing that reassured him.

It proved his efforts weren’t entirely futile.

It validated his struggles.

“Young-hee…”

He called her name again.

The girl looked up.

Behind her, white curtains fluttered gently.

Against that backdrop, Young-hee tilted her head curiously.

“Who… are you?”

Caught completely off guard by her reaction, Chul-soo froze in place.

“Do you know me?”

With a cruelly pure expression, the girl asked.

<Nothing happened; events unfolded on their own>

“Young-hee?”

Chul-soo approached, calling out his childhood friend’s name.

Simultaneously realizing his mistake.

“Eek!”

Young-hee trembled, hugging herself tightly.

Terrified.

“A-ah, sorry, please… don’t come closer, okay?”

Her black eyes darted anxiously, constantly checking his reactions.

She regarded him like a frightening adversary.

Chul-soo’s carefully composed face stiffened.

Young-hee was afraid of him right now.

“It’s okay, Young-hee. I won’t hurt you.”

“But… it’s not that. Actually, I… get anxious when people come near me…”

Young-hee retreated slightly, though she was already cornered by the bed.

She tried desperately to distance herself, still observing his every move.

!

!…..

…..

“A-ah, no. Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. Uh… the doctor said it’s physiological…”

“……”

“That… so… please don’t cry.”

Cry?

Was I making such a face?

Young-hee looked guilty.

Even while trembling in fear, she worried about others—a characteristic of her kind nature.

‘Lost her memory… fears me…’

Avoidant personality disorder.

That word suddenly came to mind.

I believed I’d do anything to save Young-hee.

I thought I could accept any outcome.

But this reaction…

It felt like my heart was being ripped apart beyond imagination.

By the time Chul-soo barely regained his composure,

Young-hee was staring at him anxiously.

“I’m sorry…”

Chul-soo finally noticed her expression.

Mixed with fear and simultaneous guilt toward him.

Such a messy face.

He easily understood that this was Young-hee’s genuine reaction.

Like how people instinctively wrinkle their noses when they smell something foul,

this wasn’t a conscious reaction from Young-hee either.

“It’s okay. You haven’t done anything wrong, Young-hee.”

Chul-soo carefully chose his words.

Taking a cautious step forward.

“I-I’m sorry! I’ve done something wrong!”

Just one step.

Yet Young-hee reacted sensitively.

Pulling the blanket tighter, she stared at him, trembling violently, then smiled.

Anyone could tell it was forced, an awkward upward curl of her lips.

“I-I have nothing. No money, no parents… I’m useless… So… can you just leave me alone?”

A face meant to placate someone.

Young-hee shouldn’t be showing expressions like this.

Our relationship wasn’t like that.

But now…

The distance feels immeasurably vast.

“Young-hee, don’t you recognize me?”

“Ehehe, sorry. I don’t remember. Sorry. Please don’t be mad.”

What is this?

How am I supposed to handle this situation?

Losing her memory might have been acceptable.

But what am I supposed to do about a child who trembles just at the sight of me?

Wouldn’t I just become someone who scares Young-hee?

Perhaps it would be better if I weren’t here at all—

– Creak.

The door opened at that moment.

Jin, with bandaged hands, stood there.

Upon spotting Chul-soo, Jin sucked in a breath.

“Chul-soo—”

“Y-Yu-jin sir!”

Suddenly, Young-hee leapt off the bed and ran.

Hiding behind Jin like a child seeking protection from strangers.

Jin wore a slightly perplexed expression upon seeing Chul-soo’s face, which resembled a rolling corpse.

“Chul-soo—”

“Sorry.”

Jin’s words were interrupted mid-sentence by Chul-soo.

Remaining calm under these circumstances was impossible even for Chul-soo.

Does that mean Jin is fine, but I’m not?

“I appreciate you saving Young-hee. But right now… right now…”

Chul-soo couldn’t continue and bowed his head.

Unable to bear it any longer, he slowly walked out of the room.

…*

A chair in the hospital corner.

Leaning back, Chul-soo sat there.

Ah, damn.

Human hearts can feel this miserable, huh?

I almost miss the days when I fought solely to surpass Yu-jin.

-Ding.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

Checking it, he found a large sum of money had been deposited.

Without changing his expression, he tossed the phone aside.

“This is ridiculous. At least check it? I put in quite a bit.”

Turning his head, he saw Biseo Park approaching.

Using honorifics all of a sudden? That thought crossed his mind.

Park naturally sat beside him.

Chul-soo stared ahead silently for a while before speaking heavily.

“Why did Young-hee end up like this?”

“It’s a type of PTSD. There’s no physical problem, but due to extreme mental stress, she rejects memories and people. She’s even terrified of doctors approaching her.”

“But Jin was fine.”

“Because he saved her.”

There was no arguing with that.

No matter what, the one who pulled Young-hee out of that hell was Jin.

Thus, understanding why she relied solely on Jin wasn’t difficult.

Accepting it, however…

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t.

“This incident had nothing to do with Master Jin’s intentions.”

“I know.”

Jin only sought to protect Young-hee, never intending to harm her.

He had never once used force against Young-hee.

Chul-soo had already vaguely sensed there was another reason behind this situation.

“…Though, I guess I do know who the culprits are.”

Lost in thought, Chul-soo unconsciously turned his head.

Park pulled out documents from his bag.

Upon receiving them, Chul-soo discovered information on various individuals related to Hwagcheon.

“What is this?”

“It’s a list of data on those responsible for this incident.”

Carefully examining the document with a serious expression, Chul-soo wondered if Hwagcheon was involved in this matter after all.

“Why are you giving me this info? Aren’t these guys also part of your group?”

“Even within Hwagcheon, factions exist.”

According to Park, it seemed Jin hadn’t been fully recognized as a successor of Hwagcheon yet.

Some executives aimed to bring him down or eliminate him.

All the individuals involved in this incident belonged to that faction.

“Still don’t understand. Why does targeting Young-hee play into this?”

“Well, let’s just say the guy handling the job was a pervert.”

Could Master Jin have anticipated even the perversion of the person assigned?

Calculating someone whose actions defy common sense would only lead to losses.

“In any case, these are the ones who reduced Young-hee to this state.”

“…So why are you telling me this?”

“To seek revenge, obviously.”

Park answered as if surprised Chul-soo had even asked.

Recalling that both men were part of Hwagcheon,

it probably was a natural way of thinking within that organization.

If attacked, retaliate twofold.

If struck, kill the opponent to exact vengeance.

That was likely how Hwagcheon dealt with enemies.

Chul-soo chuckled wryly.

“In the end, you’re letting us handle your adversaries without lifting a finger.”

The biggest beneficiary of this situation was undoubtedly Jin.

Jin didn’t do anything.

Yet he gained justification to eliminate his political rivals.

And he managed to deal with them using others’ efforts.

Not to mention securing Young-hee as well.

At Chul-soo’s words, Park nodded leisurely.

“Have you ever considered that Master Jin might have calculated all of this and acted accordingly?”

“…What?”

“Don’t you think it’s all a bit too coincidental? Your survival trials together, your fight with Young-hee, and this recent失控 (loss of control)—everything?”

Of course, he realized this wasn’t a simple accident.

Were all the people mentioned in the documents responsible for orchestrating these events?

But was Kim Yu-jin able to predict all of this?

And deliberately stayed out of things until the critical moment to rescue Young-hee?

“…That’s impossible.”

“But that’s exactly how it turned out.”

Chul-soo fell silent, lost in thought.

Reiterating, the person who benefited most from this situation was Jin.

Simultaneously, Jin must have been aware of what the guardian intended to do.

He likely intentionally allowed it to happen.

Then what was the reason?

“No, no matter how you look at it, there’s no way…”

“Master Jin anticipated that you would want to kill the guardian.”

Park smiled as he spoke.

It was almost as if he was boasting.

No, his actual feelings were probably similar.

“Of course, Master Jin didn’t foresee the guardian’s loss of control. That’s why he hurriedly went out of his way to save Young-hee.”

Young-hee’s memory loss and the guardian’s loss of control were likely outside Jin’s calculations.

But even those outcomes ultimately benefited Jin.

Not only did it showcase Jin’s unparalleled strength,

but it also made Young-hee depend solely on him.

‘Did Master Jin calculate all of this?’

The executives opposing him,

their targeting of peripheral figures like Young-hee,

and even using that as a reason to take revenge on them?

Suddenly, chills ran down his spine.

How far had all these calculations gone unnoticed by him?

He began to truly realize who he had been facing.

“…Why are you telling me this? It would’ve been easier to keep it hidden.”

“It’s a minimum gesture of goodwill. Watching you during this incident made me somewhat recognize you.”

Chul-soo was an impressive man.

Ordinary people might crumble multiple times under such trials.

Yet he never broke.

Look at him now.

Once he set a clear goal, his eyes lit up again, didn’t they?

Honestly, he was a desirable talent.

If it weren’t for his opposition to Master Jin.

“Giving charity like this. In the end, you’ll benefit the most.”

“At least we should do that much, right? You wouldn’t reveal our involvement to the person who saved your woman, would you?”

Chul-soo silently clenched his fist.

It wasn’t a wrong statement.

Regardless, Jin had saved Young-hee’s life.

For that, gratitude was unavoidable.

“Besides, to us, the guardian is merely a minor nuisance. If we wanted to kill him… it wouldn’t be difficult.”

It might cause some trouble, but if we decided, it would be possible.

He held no significant weight to them.

“But unlike us, you probably want to kill him with your own hands. This is an opportunity we’re offering.”

Park clearly stated with a distinct voice.

It was the tongue of a snake.

“Well, but since leaving him unchecked would lead to his downfall anyway… here.”

Park pushed a box towards him.

Inside was a black sword.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a specially ordered sword. Far superior to the one you currently use.”

Judging by its quality, it was indeed excellent.

As a swordsman, Chul-soo had a keen eye for swords.

This one ranked just below the highest tier.

Even the sword gifted by the Class President seemed inferior in comparison.

This was better.

“Why give this to me?”

“We benefit the longer you survive. What you choose to cut with it is your decision.”

With that, Park stood up without hesitation.

Left alone, Chul-soo quietly gazed at the received sword.

‘Revenge…’

Young-hee’s recovery would require some time anyway.

Perhaps it was best to do what he could now.

Chul-soo’s eyes began to gleam like those of a vengeful spirit.

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