IF Chapter 29

Chapter 29

 

“It could have been dangerous if the timing was off even slightly.”

I sighed as I looked at my slightly singed finger.

The skill I had just used, ‘Trick of Trick (B)’.

It was a skill that allowed me to move to any desired location within a 30M radius for 30 seconds and then return.

▸When using this skill, the movement of mana disappears, and movement speed increases significantly. Try to deceive your opponent with this!

With normal skills, there were countless ways to counter them, like Baek Doha seeing the movement of mana, catching the use of the skill, or grabbing you just before you move.

‘Trick of Trick (B)’ was a skill that had the additional effect of making it unnoticeable.

In other words, it was a skill quite good for deceiving opponents.

And I used that skill just before jumping into the flames.

I lured the monsters and then moved to Lim Yuchan’s side right in front of the flames.

‘The monsters that were following me seem to have burned to death while looking for me.’

As I was thinking it was fortunate that the timing worked out well, the system messages kept appearing.

When I turned around, a lump escaped from Cha Si-hyeon’s arms. The creature that fell down with a thump shook its body.

Ah, right. I had hurriedly entrusted it because there was no time.

“Mungchi.”

I called out to it, stretching out my hand. Then Mungchi started running.

“Hey, where are you going!”

…Not towards me, but towards where the sorcerer was.

‘Why does it keep not coming when I call?’

Apart from the surge of emotion, I quickly moved my feet, remembering Mungchi’s unnecessarily brave behavior in the hidden dungeon.

“Aack!”

The problem was that I slipped because I was in too much of a hurry.

“Careful.”

Fortunately, Lim Yuchan, who was next to me, caught me. As I was about to thank him.

“…Has it reached maturity?”

Cha Si-hyeon’s dazed voice was heard.

I reflexively turned my head towards him.

Cha Si-hyeon was frozen with his mouth half open.

‘Huh? Maturity?’

Wondering what he meant, I turned my head to where he was looking, and my mouth fell open just like Cha Si-hyeon’s.

‘Why is Mungchi…’

Light began to rise around Mungchi, and then gradually, it grew larger.

Not long after, when the light stopped, the cute and baby-like appearance was nowhere to be found.

Instead, in its place was a majestic, full-fledged wolf monster.

‘What’s going on?’

What on earth is happening?

My mouth fell open.

But as if that wasn’t enough, an even more shocking event occurred.

[Come here, Elizabeth.]

Along with a gentle voice, a delicate hand was extended in front of Mungchi.

As if I had been doused with cold water, I could only stare blankly.

▸The current boss influence is [1%].

Because there was Mungchi, licking the sorcerer’s hand as if it were natural.

💎

Thinking about it now, I realize there were many suspicious points about Mungchi.

The wolf that appeared as if by chance followed me too well to be believed as a monster.

It was so friendly to me despite being so wary of S-class individuals. At first, I naturally thought it was being nice to me because I had saved its life.

When the sub-quest to save Mungchi appeared, I wondered if this was something worth a quest, but that thought was fleeting.

However, when the quest reward was none other than a ‘card key’…

‘It’s not that I didn’t suspect.’

It’s true that I subconsciously felt something was off, but I tried not to think about it deeply.

I just wanted it to be a cute wolf, I tried to see it that way.

I tried to, but…

My head felt numb as if it had been hit by a large stone.

‘Even for a system… isn’t this cruel?’

Ridiculously, I seemed to understand what the system wanted to tell me.

Now I can’t look away anymore.

I could clearly see Mungchi standing on the sorcerer’s side, looking at me. So clearly that I couldn’t deny it.

Thinking that it all happened under the sorcerer’s orders, I even let out a bitter laugh.

‘Baek Doha was right.’

It was unnecessary sympathy. Saving Mungchi and accepting the quest was all unnecessary sympathy.

Feeling like I’d been played by the sorcerer and the system, a bitter laugh escaped involuntarily. It ended in silence.

I looked at Mungchi, my lips trembling, then immediately turned around.

[Using skill, ‘Boundary Line (C)’!]

As soon as I used the skill, a rod made of bright red fire stopped in front of me.

“You…”

Lim Yuchan, who was using a skill to attack, looked at me as if surprised.

Was he surprised that I noticed his presence, or just surprised that I blocked him?

I couldn’t tell the reason. The surprised expression, rare for him, quickly turned into a cold gaze.

“Move aside.”

“…”

Actually, I’m not sure why I blocked it.

Maybe I was shocked that I would have burned to death if it had grazed me even slightly, or maybe for some other reason, my heart was pounding violently.

“I said move.”

“No.”

I refused firmly, surprising even myself. Lim Yuchan’s gaze grew even colder.

I steadily met that gaze, clearly felt even over the boundary line.

“You must know.”

I had to face it.

“It’s the last one.”

Because I knew better than anyone.

▸The current boss influence is [1%].

That Mungchi was the last influence.

[Did you get attached to something that can’t even speak in the meantime? Hmm, how unfortunate.]

I bit my lip hard at the sorcerer’s voice, speaking gleefully.

Right. In a situation where I should feel betrayed, I’m trying to protect it instead.

Imagining how I must look to others was laughable.

I raised my head and met Lim Yuchan’s eyes. He looked at me quietly and said,

“Even if you take it out of the dungeon, you can’t keep it. Even if you could, people would kill it.”

It was true.

“You can’t interfere with me. Come this way.”

“Isn’t there a way to not kill Mungchi?”

“You know it’s impossible.”

I knew my feelings were selfish.

But I had grown too attached to Mungchi to kill it.

“If you just give a little chance…”

“There’s no chance we can give here.”

Lim Yuchan cut me off at the end.

I stood there silently, unable to say anything. My shoulders felt heavy.

Lim Yuchan, who had been quietly looking down at me, raised his fire rod.

“Hyung-nim…!”

Before anyone could stop him or resist.

Kwaaang!!

[Skill, ‘Boundary Line (C)’ has been broken!]

The rod shattered my barrier. The barrier that had been blocking it crumbled into pieces and scattered.

The skill that had blocked so many monsters until now was useless before an S-class.

I unconsciously bit my lip at the sound that made my eardrums ring.

Lim Yuchan looked at me like that and then moved. His figure passing by my side made my heart pound even more.

Then, suddenly, one idea flashed through my mind.

‘Should I steal the influence?’

First, steal it, and after I die, become the ‘influence’…

‘A sub-quest to recover might appear like before.’

Yeah, I know. This was a crazy idea.

[Attempting to steal ‘Influence’ with unique skill ‘What’s Yours is Mine (-)’!]

Please.

‘Just once.’

Please give me a chance just once.

I closed my eyes tightly, muttering a wish to I don’t know who. And then, ding!

An alert sound rang. I opened my eyes with trembling feelings.

[‘Sorcerer’ defends against stealing ‘Influence’!]

[Failed to steal ‘Influence’!]

It was hopeless. As I blankly stared at those two words, ‘Failed.’

[What are you?]

A voice came from afar. The sorcerer, who was preparing to fight Lim Yuchan, was looking at me.

‘No way.’

[What was that trick you just pulled?]

Did she see that I tried to steal the ‘Influence’?

As I hesitated at the unexpected situation, she raised the rod he was holding.

Just as Lim Yuchan turned to look at me, the sorcerer swung her rod. Then immediately after, something like a yellow light mass flew towards me.

I reflexively used a skill.

[Using skill, ‘Boundary Line (C)’!]

[Time until broken ‘Boundary Line (C)’ recovers: 02:50:23]

[Use of skill ‘Boundary Line (C)’ is canceled!]

D*mn it! The ‘Boundary Line’ broken by Lim Yuchan hadn’t recovered yet.

‘I’m going to get hit!’

I tightly closed my eyes at the incoming attack. Then, bang! The attack came straight on.

“…..”

Huh?

‘Why doesn’t it hurt?’

The pain I had expected to come naturally wasn’t felt.

I slightly opened my eyes, which I had reflexively closed.

When all the dust around had disappeared, everything started to become visible.

Why.

“Mungchi…?”

Why is Mungchi blocking it in front of me?

💎

Thank you for reading! ♡