Chapter 148: The Source of the Barrier

Not knowing what else to do, I leaned against the invisible wall, trying to think of a way to get out of here.

Feeling exhausted, I eventually sat down, resting my back against the invisible wall.

"Hah... This is really messed up."

I turned toward Min-seo. She still seemed to be desperately trying to escape, repeatedly striking the invisible wall with her powers.

"Stop. It’s useless."

"Hah... Hah... Come on! Break already!!"

Punch after punch, Min-seo continued attacking the invisible wall, but it didn’t move or even crack in the slightest.

"Stop. You’re only wasting your energy. Get some rest first. You’ve already used a lot of your energy."

"Hah... Hah... Damn..."

With that, Min-seo finally seemed to give up.

She walked over to me and sat beside me.

She rested her head against my shoulder.

Seeing that, I couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed. This was the first time a girl had ever rested her head on my shoulder.

With a faint smile, I spoke to her.

"I know you’re tired, but—"

"Be quiet... Just let me stay like this for a while... I’m really tired..."

With no other choice, I simply complied, letting her rest her head on my shoulder.

I looked up at the sky.

It was clear and bright.

This was rather confusing because before we entered that underground chamber, it had clearly been nighttime.

What exactly happened?

I turned toward Min-seo.

Was she... asleep?

Seeing that, the corners of my lips curled upward.

She looked beautiful.

How could her parents have left her alone in that dark forest...?

They threw away a diamond.

In the comic, Min-seo’s parents eventually reunited with her, but unfortunately, by then she had already been corrupted and had become evil. As a result, their gentle words had no effect on her, and they were killed by Min-seo herself.

The reason they abandoned Min-seo was because they were disgusted with her. They didn’t want to waste their money on a useless little child.

When I read that part, I was annoyed at her parents.

I mean, she was just a little girl who wasn’t even ten years old. What did they expect from her? Did they want her to make money at such a young age?

It was ridiculous.

Her father was a heavy alcoholic, while her mother was an extreme gambler. A harmonious family for a couple of lunatics.

If I ever had a child, I would obviously take care of them with all my heart.

I’d even be willing to quit my job for my child.

I gently stroked Min-seo’s hair while she slept.

She seemed to be having trouble sleeping because of the sunlight.

Seeing that, I immediately took off my hat and placed it on Min-seo’s head.

That way, she wouldn’t be exposed to the sunlight.

She seemed to become comfortable again.

I also began taking off my mask.

"It feels pretty stuffy wearing this mask all day, especially when it’s covered in blood."

I stared at my mask while thinking.

’When will my new mask be finished?’

I placed my mask beside me.

Then, I looked up at the sky.

"Huh... This is exhausting..."

’Come to think of it, how many days has it been since I last slept? A day? No... Maybe longer...’

Feeling a little sleepy, I closed my eyes for a moment.

’I guess getting some rest for a while wouldn’t hurt...’

Without realizing it, I fell asleep while resting my head against Min-seo’s head, who was also asleep on my shoulder.

Some time later, when I woke up, Min-seo was no longer beside me.

I looked around, but there was no sign of her.

I looked up at the sky. The sun was already beginning to set.

The sky had turned a golden orange.

"Ah... It’s almost nighttime already..."

With that, I stood up and began searching for Min-seo.

After searching for an hour, night had already fallen, but there was still no sign of her.

"Where is she?"

I walked past the Eiffel Tower, which had already collapsed and been reduced to ruins.

However, I suddenly stopped when I heard a whistling sound.

I immediately turned toward the source of the whistle.

Someone was sitting on top of the fallen Eiffel Tower.

It was... Min-seo.

She was gazing at the dark sky while whistling.

I walked closer to her.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing. I’m just bored and don’t know what to do."

"..."

’That’s right... There’s nothing we can do here. All we’ve been doing is hitting the barrier over and over without accomplishing anything...’

’I have to find a way out of here.’

With that, I turned around and began walking away. Min-seo looked confused and immediately climbed down and followed behind me.

"Oppa, what are you going to do?"

"What else? Find a way out of here. We’ve been here for far too long, and we don’t even know what’s happening outside. We can’t just sit around here."

Hearing that, Min-seo seemed a little more energetic than before.

As we walked, I thought for a moment.

’This barrier couldn’t possibly have activated suddenly without some kind of core. Every power has a source, but... Where is its source?’

I turned toward Min-seo and began speaking.

"Min-seo, has your power recovered?"

"Huh? Uhm... Not all of it, but it’s enough for us to cross Europe."

"Hmm... That’s enough. Try using your power and sensing the energy around us. If you sense some massive energy concentrated somewhere, tell me."

"Uh... I don’t really understand, but alright... I’ll try."

She closed her eyes and became silent.

I watched her carefully.

’Massive energy... Massive energy! Please, just show yourself!’

Min-seo thought as she tried to sense the energy around her.

At that exact moment, Min-seo suddenly looked shocked. She opened her eyes and hurriedly turned toward me.

"I found it!"

"Good! Quickly, head toward where the energy is!"

With that, Min-seo and I ran toward the source of the energy she had detected.

Some time later, we arrived at an abandoned house.

"Uhh... Are you sure it’s here?"

"Yes! I can clearly feel it here."

"Alright, let’s search!"

We entered the house and began searching every room, trying to find whatever object or source was creating the barrier.

However, after several minutes of searching, we couldn’t find anything.

We eventually met back in the living room.

"Did you find anything?"

I asked Min-seo.

She responded by raising both shoulders and shaking her head, indicating that she hadn’t found anything either.

However, I suddenly realized something.

’If it’s not here, then maybe it’s underneath the house!’

I turned toward Min-seo and spoke.

"Can you use your power one more time?"

"Huh? What for?"

"Use your power as strongly as possible until even the ground beneath us is destroyed."

"Alright!"

With that, she extended her hand toward the floor.

Sparks of lightning began gathering around her hand.

"W-wait! I haven’t said to do it yet!"

"Too late!"

Panicking, I immediately ran away, but unfortunately, I wasn’t fast enough.

"10,000 volts!"

A massive bolt of lightning struck with tremendous force, so powerful that the entire house was instantly destroyed.

And me?

Of course I survived, although my hair was standing up like popcorn after being struck by lightning.

"...I hadn’t even said to start."

"Hehe... Sorry about that, but look!"

I turned toward where Min-seo was pointing.

There, on the ground, was a glowing blue gemstone spinning in place.

"Ah... So this is what has been keeping us trapped here."

I picked up the blue gemstone.

Just as I was about to destroy it, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

’An absolute barrier, huh... This might be useful in the future. I’d better keep it and take it with me, just in case.’

I turned toward Min-seo.

"Can you throw a small spark of lightning at me?"

"Hmm? Sure."

With a single wave of her hand, lightning appeared from Min-seo’s hand and touched my body.

It hurt, but at least it wasn’t nearly as painful as before.

"Alright... Let’s deactivate this thing first."

I tightly clenched the gemstone in my hand.

I used the power I’d received from Min-seo, gathering the energy in my hand and channeling it into the gemstone as a means of deactivating it.

Suddenly, I felt a slight tremor beneath the ground.

"Looks like it worked..."

With that, I put the gemstone into my pocket.

"Why are you keeping it? Didn’t you want to destroy it earlier?"

"That was my original intention, but this might be useful someday. Enough talking. Let’s go home already!"

"Alright!"