Chapter 52: I…

Villains attacked the academy.

Unlike the usual ones, these seemed intent on destroying the academy itself.

Students died in droves.

Until now, attacks had been rare, but in the past year, it felt like someone was trying to tear everything down. Schools, banks, government offices…

And in front of a bank, a training academy’s A-rank student was found hanging, her name helpfully written on her body.

Her severed limbs had been treated with something, preventing them from rotting, but also preventing them from reattaching. The severed ends were cauterized, mangled.

The bleeding had been stopped with some unknown ability, preventing her from dying.

The solution was simple.

Capture the person who did this and undo it, or just kill them.

They’d left traces, either intentionally or because they were a novice clumsily using their ability based on instinct. Thanks to that, mages could track their location and movements easily.

When I asked why they didn’t do this at the hospital, they said they hadn’t encountered anyone who severed limbs, doodled on the body, and then kept the victim alive.

Anyway, they said everything would be over if I killed this gruesome villain.

It was so simple that I laughed.

Just like everything had been so far.

Many people died wherever Ha-rin went.

But few could be taken to the infirmary or hospital.

Most died on the spot.

Even if there were survivors, they wouldn’t be brought in, fearing they might explode at any moment.

Unless they were A-rank students.

“Was I wrong?”

I sat beside Hye-yeon, her body covered in cuts, and muttered to myself.

“I thought if we met, if I captured her and talked to her, things would work out. That it was all my fault, that it was my fault she changed like that, that I had to bring her back.”

Even though she wouldn’t hear me.

“It’s my fault, so I thought I had to solve the problem. That’s how it’s always been.”

Sometimes, she would wake up.

The problem was that she would scream at the sight of her missing limbs, bury her face in the pillow and cry, and sometimes even crawl to the window, trying to jump.

When I first realized that the girl with the ominous white hair was Ha-rin, I felt guilty, but I also thought that everything would be okay if I did things right from now on.

Was I wrong to think that she didn’t reveal herself because she wanted to start over, that I missed her signals several times?

Maybe she came here with this intention from the beginning.

I thought that if we spent time together like we used to, if we had meaningless conversations and walked around together like we used to, everything would be alright.

But my childhood friend, who returned from that horrible village, seemed to have become something else entirely, with no trace of the Yoo Ha-rin I remembered.

It would be too simplistic to blame everything on what happened to her in the research facility.

If I had cared a little more…

If I hadn’t forgotten that she wanted to leave the village…

Could I solve this as easily as they said?

Why did I believe that everything would be alright if I just rushed in without thinking?

I kept asking myself these questions, but nothing was resolved.

In the end, I didn’t know anything.

But I had to go see Ha-rin.

I had to go because I could.

I returned to the hideout and shut myself in my room for a long time.

It must have seemed hypocritical to others, but I was plagued by guilt.

It was hard to endure the countless people I killed crammed inside my room, staring at me.

No matter how strong the drugs were, they couldn’t make them disappear completely anymore.

Driven to the brink of madness, I started exploding parts of my body.

My exploded limbs and severed parts regenerated instantly.

But if I cauterized the wound, it took a long time to regenerate.

But I didn’t want to burn to death.

Even when I was high, the pain in my burned fingers was excruciating.

Enough to make my whole body tremble.

I spent a few days, maybe a month, holed up in the hideout like that.

One day, I went out for a walk, and when I came back, the Chairman was sitting on the sofa in my room, legs crossed, smoking marijuana.

“What are you doing?”

“Preparing to die.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Everyone here will be dead in a month.We crossed the line. My former comrades, or their kids, will come for us.”

“Is there even such a thing as a line in this world?”

“Not for us, but for them, there is.A strange line that stretches and shrinks depending on their mood.”

He took a sip of coffee and continued.

“Si-hyun’s things are running low.”

“I used them as intended.”

“Then I’d like to see the mask.”

I took the half-destroyed mask from my pocket and handed it to him, offering an excuse out of a slight pang of guilt.

“It’s a little worn out.”

“Her eyes looked quite promising. I thought she’d be willing to go on a suicide mission.”

Drinking coffee only quenched my thirst momentarily, not solving anything.

It actually made me thirstier.

But it cleared my mind.

“But strangely, I didn’t want to use her like that. Maybe because she resembled my daughter. Anyway, the malice slowly faded. From me, and from her.”

A sigh filled the room.

“That’s why I was quite sad when she died. I haven’t talked much with you, and we haven’t been close, but… I’ll be quite sad when you die.”

“I finally have someone who will mourn my death.”

“You had one, and then you lost her.”

He slowly stood up and walked to the door.

“Anyway, it’s time to leave this place. It would be better to go beyond the river. If you’re hiding in the city, you should dye your hair and wear a mask.”

“What about you?”

“The guys I sent to the school, they were the strongest, and none of them returned. So, I sent the remaining riffraff to schools, the National Assembly, skyscrapers… told them to go on suicide missions.”

I had noticed that the hideout had been unusually quiet lately.

“There’s nothing I can do anymore. I might as well just stay here and die…”

Suddenly, a blade emerged from the door.

The limping, eyepatch-wearing middle-aged man, who had a cheerful expression just moments ago, was instantly decapitated.

I stared at his severed head, his eyes wide with shock.

His body, gushing blood, stained my room. Two coffee cups on the table, classical music I didn’t recognize playing on the TV.

The well-oiled hinges prevented the door from creaking.

Seo-jun stood in the doorway.

Much to my surprise.

“You just… eliminated the person who would mourn my death.”

“Don’t even think about running. I can turn you to ashes anytime.”

Feeling slightly sorry for the dead man, I attacked Seo-jun with the blood flooding the room.

It evaporated instantly with a single swing of her sword, the stench of blood filling the air.

I tried to raise the corpse and detonate it, but her sharp blade sliced through the dead flesh so quickly that it turned to ashes instantly.

“I didn’t expect such a violent reaction to a small gift.”

“Shut up and sit down.”

I ignored her and walked towards the shelf, and my left ankle was severed.

The cauterized wound regenerated slowly.

I didn’t react to the pain and took out the paper filters and coffee beans from the shelf.

I ground the beans, poured the grounds into the filter, and boiled water in the electric kettle.

As I poured the hot water over the grounds, the fragrant aroma of coffee filled the room, masking the smell of blood and ashes.

“Coffee? Want some?”

“…….”

I made another cup and placed it in front of Seo-jun.

Fragrant coffee was essential, no matter where or when.

I casually crossed my legs, took a sip of coffee, put a cigarette in my mouth, and lit it.

I didn’t want to see her now.

But I didn’t want to be left alone back then either.