Chapter 159 : Chapter 159

Chapter 159

Was ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍she playing a prank?

No. ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍There was no trace of playfulness on her face.

This ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was unmistakably… wariness toward a stranger.

Rachel’s ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍words from the morning suddenly resurfaced in my mind.

What ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍would I do if someone precious went missing?

Was ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that what she had meant?

How truly vile.

Cha Yeri had clearly been afflicted by a mental-type status abnormality.

Not only her, but every awakened individual on this island.

The one who had deployed such a massive mental domination was, of course, Rachel.

Because it was a high-level spell that no one could even attempt unless they belonged to her species.

“Who are you, exactly, to touch my shoulder…?”

If Cha Yeri was under mental domination, then my shadow could lift the status abnormality by restricting her mana.

But did I truly need to?

Given her temperament, she would throw herself into solving the situation with everything she had.

The problem was that she would become an obstacle.

It would be better to leave her as she was now, unable to recognize me.

I forced a smile and said,

“I am sorry. I mistook you for someone else.”

After saying that, I backed away from her.

Then I began moving through the hotel to test several hypotheses.

First, why had Rachel used this strange mental domination?

“Since the target was me, she must be trying to send me some kind of message.”

No matter how I thought about it, one word kept circling in my head.

Why go so far?

Did she truly need to do this?

Next, the reach of this mental domination.

For starters, other people also failed to recognize me, just as Cha Yeri had.

However, the guest registry inside the suite area still listed my name and Gwon Chihun’s.

“So the exclusion of ‘Ji Seokhyeon’ applies only to the people on this island.”

Because of the severe weather, travel by air and sea would likely be restricted, cutting off access to the outside.

Yet smartphones worked normally, which meant communications were intact.

In other words, beyond the island, people had not forgotten my existence.

If her ability reached that far, she would not be wasting time here—she could conquer the world.

“Then the next hypothesis…”

Whether mental domination affected Yun Jeongseop, a mana-insensitive person.

I headed to the first-floor lobby, where the advisors had gathered.

They were still conferring urgently, discussing how to respond to the sudden storm.

I waited nearby for a moment, and they soon reached a conclusion and began to disperse.

I stood in the corridor between the lobby counter and the elevators.

Unless one used the emergency staircase, it was a path everyone had to pass through.

As expected, the advisors from the other academies walked past without even acknowledging me.

It would not have been strange for them to at least offer a brief greeting.

What mattered was Yun Jeongseop.

He ambled toward the corridor last, lagging behind the others…

“……”

And like the rest, he ignored me and walked past.

Had my hypothesis been wrong?

As I retraced my thoughts for a moment, a voice soaked in annoyance came from behind me.

“Haa… What is it this time?”

It was Yun Jeongseop.

He had recognized me and spoken.

“I did not expect speaking with you to feel this reassuring, Instructor.”

“Stop saying horrifying things.”

From the way he looked, he still had not noticed what was happening on this island.

Of course he had not.

He could not sense mana.

And thanks to that, he had not fallen under mental domination.

“Instructor, are you free, by any chance?”

“No.”

***

Yun Jeongseop and I left the hotel and headed toward the hot spring area we had visited yesterday.

Because it was raining, visibility was poor, but there were no signs of people—not tourists, not anyone.

Moreover, the clouds were so dark that it was easy to forget it was daytime.

A relentless, fine drizzle.

And environmental mana revealing an eerie hue…

All of it sent a chill crawling across my skin.

Of course, Yun Jeongseop could not feel it.

“So you are saying people have forgotten you?”

“In simple terms, yes.”

We continued speaking while hiding behind rocks near the hot springs.

“You ran into Gwon Chihun as we left the hotel earlier. He did not recognize me at all.”

“…That is certainly strange. Well, in a situation like this, if I cannot trust the Special Affairs Division, whom can I trust?”

After organizing his thoughts, Yun Jeongseop asked,

“But who did it?”

“Rachel, the one overseeing the investigative team.”

“On what basis?”

“I have to find it.”

“I thought so.”

“At least you are fortunate, Instructor. Because you cannot sense mana, you were not afflicted by the status abnormality.”

“You are quite good at dressing that up as good fortune. I understand the general situation, but why did you bring me all the way here?”

“Because I need your help. I would like to have two bodies, but that is not the case.”

“For someone asking for help, you are remarkably insolent.”

“That must be your imagination.”

“Hm. Fine. But as you said, I am ‘fortunate,’ so I do not know what help I can be. Especially against an enemy using magic on this scale.”

His doubt was reasonable.

A mana-insensitive person—treated worse than even a powerless individual—playing a role in a superpowered incident?

And yet he had followed me here, which meant he intended to help.

He looked dry and cold on the outside, but he always offered recognition and kindness.

A so-called tsundere.

“What you have to do is very simple. Find the target, infiltrate, and destroy it.”

“A target that must be found near the volcanic zone… Well, at least you are not telling me to jump into lava. So what is this target?”

“A mana stone that is only slightly large.”

“I heard there have never been monsters on this island.”

“Let me correct that. It is a mana stone that is slightly special.”

“That is unsettling. How do we find it?”

Before answering, I studied his expression.

He did not look as though he would explode in anger.

“I can roughly guess with the Demonic Eye, but I cannot pinpoint it exactly. You will have to search directly, focusing on the locations I have predicted.”

“Oh, so even I, the fortunate one, get the search assignment?”

“In my opinion, there is no one on this island—no, among awakened individuals—who is better at searching than you, Instructor.”

“What do you mean?”

“…Please forgive me.”

As I spoke, I brought my hand to his solar plexus and immediately restricted his mana.

There was little to gain by meddling with a mana-insensitive person’s mana, but he was not an ordinary case.

If I disarmed what little mana he had like this and awakened the violent mana sleeping within him…

“GRRRAAH…!”

The power of Gwiinrang—said in the setting to rival a dragon—revealed itself.

Gwiinrang was a monster that guided monsters who died leaving resentment into a proper death.

But Yun Jeongseop was only a half-finished vessel who could not even use half of that power.

Normally, the power manifested only on nights with a full moon, turning him into a mad beast that destroyed everything around him.

However, if I forcibly dragged the ability out without a full moon, like now…

“How do you feel? Can you recognize me?”

He could maintain his mind without losing reason, preserving Yun Jeongseop’s consciousness intact.

“Grr.”

As expected, Yun Jeongseop nodded—no, that enormous maw of his dipped once.

It was the head of a monster, but the expression was filled with shock.

I watched his gestures and expression in his werewolf form and asked,

“You are wondering how I learned your secret?”

Nod.

“Senior Park Chaeshin told me. He said you were a werewolf.”

Of course, Park Chaeshin had not said it.

He was not the sort of person to reveal that secret to anyone.

I would have to fabricate a plausible excuse later and persuade the two of them.

Fortunately, my crude lie earned Yun Jeongseop’s acceptance.

Nod.

“We will talk in detail after this is over. I will also tell you how to return to your original form. For now, will you confirm this scent?”

I took out Rachel’s hair—the one I had picked up this morning—from my pocket, or rather, from my inventory.

He flinched and looked down at me as if I were bizarre.

“Wolves are canines, so can you not track by scent?”

He gave me a look that plainly said, Are you treating me like a tracking dog?

It was not exactly wrong, but…

“I do not mean you should sniff around like a bloodhound. I mean, can you distinguish mana by scent?”

“Grrr…”

Roughly speaking, it meant, I cannot accept it, but I understand, so I will do as you say.

Of course, that was a somewhat biased interpretation.

Still, the oppressive pressure was overwhelming when a monster taller than I was stared down at me as if it might pounce at any moment.

“Grr.”

After fully taking in the scent of the hair in my palm, he pointed in a direction with his snout.

Even with rain pouring down, his sense of smell was this sharp.

A certain Hunter came to mind.

“Calm down. What you are looking for is not Rachel herself, but the mana stone soaked in her mana.”

Tilt.

“Simply put, we will have to carry out a diversion.”

Yun Jeongseop still looked as though he did not understand.

After deliberately scanning the surroundings, I continued.

What I am about to say will be difficult to believe, but listen carefully. The one we are about to face is…

***

Crystal, the resort island battered by a raging storm.

An isolated place somewhere on the island.

Rachel repeatedly checked her watch in a setting that almost felt grotesque.

“It seems your prince is running a little late, is he not?”

Her question was directed at where Do Minyeong lay collapsed.

More precisely, she was sprawled face-down, her abdomen pierced through by a massive claw.

Judging by the amount of blood pooling on the floor, it would not have been strange for her to have already lost consciousness, yet for some reason she stared at Rachel with wide-open eyes.

“Seokhyeon…! It will not… go the way you want…!”

“Hm? You can still speak in that state. Even if I am regulating your bleeding with magic, I told you that if you overexert yourself, you will go straight to the underworld, did I not?”

“Hngh…”

“Honestly, humans are all stubborn beyond belief. Hey, struggle in moderation. What will you do if something truly happens?”

“S-something…?”

“…Hm?”

Rachel raised one eyebrow.

A look of puzzlement.

But it quickly melted into a cunning expression.

“Do not tell me… you do not even know who you are?”

“W-what are you saying…?”

“Heh. Hahah! Hahahahaha! Kim Yuseong! What a lunatic human!”

Rachel spoke words I could not understand.

For a while, laughter like thunder filled the place.

Bright, ringing laughter, so intense it almost felt as though the space itself might collapse.

“Tell me. Why do you think I dragged you here?”

Do Minyeong could not answer.

Because she did not understand what was happening.

At most, she could guess it had something to do with Ji Seokhyeon, but she realized by instinct that even that was the wrong answer.

“Heh, to think the one responsible for taking the lives of millions knows nothing at all!”

“…?”

The Rachel who had been checking her watch with boredom was gone.

In her place was a clown anticipating another’s despair, lips curled into a cruel grin.

“Listen carefully. I will now tell you why you must not exist in this world.”