〈 Chapter 167 〉 Chapter 166 – Wizard (3）

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“What the hell are you doing with someone else’s fiancée?!”

Rick bellowed at me.

I grinned maliciously at him and said, “Are you saying you’re not satisfied with your own?”

“Shut that mouth! Get crushed!”

A massive wave of magical power descended from Rick, threatening to squash me.

I angled my two-handed sword and deflected it sideways, but the sword shattered upon contact.

I immediately conjured two shields and handed one to Jeong Ahyeon.

“If you get a chance, help me out!”

“Got it!”

Then, I dashed back toward Rick.

Rick began unleashing a barrage of spells while blood splattered from his mouth.

“Freeze! Rise! Break! Cut! Smash!”

A giant wave of magical power was about to engulf me, drowning me.

I crouched and raised the shield diagonally to minimize the impact.

At the same time, I avoided some thorns shooting up from underneath, grabbing and snapping them in my hand.

I then hurled the thorns at an incoming sphere, causing it to shatter along with the thorns.

I stomped the shield into the ground and jumped on it.

Soon after, the magical blades trying to slice me hammered against the shield.

Gathering starlight in my right hand, I stepped on the side of the shield and propelled myself at Rick.

For just a split second, magical energy condensed in the spot I had been standing, causing the shield to buckle.

[Looking at the patterns, someone really has no morals.］

‘Is your mom’s name Kos? This is just freaking ridiculous.’

As I approached Rick to unleash some starlight, the number above his head went up by one.

Simultaneously, a mirror fragment appeared.

Using that mirror fragment, I checked the future from before my regression.

In that future, just as I was about to shoot Rick with my Cheonma Laser, he began chanting something.

Suddenly, the Cheonma Laser was reflected back toward me.

As I returned to reality, I made the motion to unleash the starlight.

Rick grinned, having anticipated this, and began his incantation.

“Bounce back!”

But I already knew.

Instead of unleashing the starlight, I landed calmly on the ground and smoothly threw a punch with my other hand.

It was like a boxing switch position.

My fist rebounded from thin air, but it was followed by the bang of something shattering.

Only then did Rick’s laughter vanish, and the red number above his head rose.

“What! How?!”

“Why? Didn’t you know? You orphan brat?”

And just when I unleashed the Cheonma Laser,

“That’s why I have insurance!”

“What…?”

The unleashed Cheonma Laser shot into a suddenly appearing hole.

Immediately, another hole appeared right in front of me.

Moments later, my own Cheonma Laser was about to fly back from that hole.

“Die by your own technique!”

“Is that a portal? Bring out Part 3, you gay bastard!”

I quickly condensed magical power in my left palm.

Then, I aimed at the bottom of the Cheonma Laser flying toward me and made it explode.

Thanks to that, the laser veered slightly upward, but it also gave Rick the time to chant.

“Pierce—”

“Gongja! This is the last of my magic!”

“Ugh!!!”

Luckily, Jeong Ahyeon mustered all her remaining strength to summon a small bird that clawed at Rick’s eyes.

Though that summoned beast was about to vanish after that effort, it was enough to cancel Rick’s chant.

I quickly condensed magical power in my right palm and struck Rick with it.

This time, it hit right on target.

But.

Crack.

“Return…”

Rick barely managed to chant as he held onto my hand.

Then, something began to change in Rick.

The injuries he incurred from my beating slowly began to vanish.

Torn clothes, shattered teeth, broken ribs—all suddenly reverted to their original state.

Just like how he initially appeared.

“What the hell, what’s this Echo Bow?”

“This is insurance as well.”

“In South Korea, insurance is only necessary for actual costs!”

Rick wore a sinister grin as he aimed his wand at Jeong Ahyeon.

I tried to cancel my chant and struck Rick’s face with my remaining left hand, but he remained unmoved, continuing his incantation.

“Disappear.”

Then, the shield I had passed to Jeong Ahyeon started to gradually disappear.

Meanwhile, just as I was about to condense magical power in my right palm again,

“Is this how you do it?”

Rick threw his wand into the air and began to slap his empty palm toward me.

And on that palm, blue magical power began to condense.

“This is the Cheonma Repulsor.”

“You bastard! That’s my Cheonma Repulsor! It’s copyrighted!”

“No.”

Rick’s palm connected with my body.

“This is the Cheonma Repulsor (genius wizard).”

“You piece of crap.”

An explosion erupted from Rick’s palm, sending me flying.

Though it was weaker than what I use, it was undoubtedly a Cheonma Repulsor.

Just like that, I was propelled right next to Jeong Ahyeon.

Currently, she was in a state of paralysis, and I was also at a distance.

In that worst-case scenario, Rick grasped his wand again and started chanting.

“Pour down.”

Countless magical spears began to manifest in the sky.

Rick sneered at us and said, “If you want to protect that useless girl, then watch closely. I can afford to lose an arm or leg.”

“You crazy bastard! Just buy a damn dildo! They’re pretty cost-effective these days!”

“Die!”

Rick’s last words weren’t an incantation, yet the numerous spears in the sky began to rain down on the ground.

Without hesitating, I embraced Jeong Ahyeon.

“Gong, Gongja! Run away quickly!”

Jeong Ahyeon desperately tried to push me away.

But the more she did, the tighter I held her, ensuring she wouldn’t face any danger.

Then, the spears began to pour down.

It didn’t take long for all the spears to reach the ground.

Yet, the brief downpour led to devastating results.

I was impaled all over like a hedgehog.

Breathing became difficult.

Both my shoulders and arms had long been pierced and rendered immobile.

Though I could somehow move my legs, running seemed unlikely.

Fortunately, Jeong Ahyeon was unharmed this time.

That was enough.

“Gong, Gongja! Why?!”

“Shit, I’ve turned into Sonic.”

Jeong Ahyeon said to me with teary eyes.

Just then, as Rick’s magical spears faded away, blood began to pour into the space left behind.

“Shit… it hurts like hell.”

“Why on earth!!!”

I shivered as I turned back toward Rick.

My arms were immobile, but manipulating magical power in my hands was still possible.

I conjured a longsword with my left hand, and it fell limply to the ground.

Then I turned my head to Jeong Ahyeon.

“Jeong Ahyeon.”

“Why did you do this…”

Jeong Ahyeon began to sob softly.

This wasn’t what I wanted.

I steadied my tumultuous heart and continued speaking to Jeong Ahyeon.

“I don’t want to lose.”

Jeong Ahyeon wiped her tears only to continue crying uncontrollably.

I slowly approached the weeping Jeong Ahyeon.

Though I couldn’t wipe her tears since I couldn’t move my arms.

“Then please don’t lose either.”

“……”

I gently bumped my head against hers.

Then I raised my head and offered her a faint smile.

“It’s a promise.”

Once again, I turned my body toward Rick.

Blood was pouring out of me heavily.

That spilled blood pooled on the ground, soon forming a small puddle.

Inside that little puddle was another me.

Perhaps due to the dizziness from the excessive blood loss.

I felt as if my reflection in the puddle made eye contact with me.

Then my reflection asked—

Do you regret it?

Do you blame yourself for saving Jeong Ahyeon and becoming a wreck?

Is it unfortunate that you chose to save her over the chance to run away?

So I respond.

No.

There’s no regret at all.

It was the best choice.

That’s what I answered.

My reflection smiled.

I was smiling too.

Situations that can’t be understood rationally evoke fear.

And that was also true for Rick.

“What the hell are you laughing at?!”

Rick raised his voice, trying to push his fear away.

Like an extremely wary dog.

“You already lost!!! I declare that I’ve won!!!”

One dying mess of blood that can’t use its arms, and one genius wizard without a single wound.

To any observer, the former seemed poised to lose, yet strangely, the latter appeared even more terrified.

“Rip apart!”

Rick chanted to dispel the rising fear, like a religious person clinging to their god to escape the situation.

Many wish to evade their situations through someone they believe in.

A child seeks out their parents. The people seek out a king. A believer seeks out a god.

But I had no absolute being to help me, nor a strong person.

What I had was just a tearful girl and a dying wreck.

Therefore.

I believe in myself.

And I believe in Jeong Ahyeon.

I slipped under the magical blade flying at my waist, avoiding it.

Simultaneously, I bit down on the sword’s hilt with my mouth and launched it into the air while my left leg spun back.

As the spinning sword pointed at Rick in mid-air,

I struck the sword’s pommel with my left heel.

Thwack!

“Ugh!”

The longsword shot forth like a harpoon, piercing Rick’s abdomen.

Rick contorted his face as he spat out his next chant.

“Strike!”

A whip of magical energy sliced through the air harshly toward me.

As I fell back, I conjured a dagger in my right hand, kicking the whip away.

Immediately, I conjured another dagger in my left hand and kicked it toward Rick this time.

Rick slightly moved aside to evade but immediately counterattacked.

“Freeze.”

Suddenly, blue magical energy enveloped my entire body.

I couldn’t move, as if my whole body had solidified.

If I could move my arms, it might have been different, but not at that moment.

While I desperately struggled to break free, Rick sneered, as if delivering his final message.

“Pierce.”

“Shit, it better not be petrification!”

A gigantic spear of magical energy soared toward me.

“This is the end!”

“I’ll turn you into a Barbie like TS! Alive! Or dead!”

In that final moment, I closed my eyes.

But.

I felt no pain.

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