Chick 353
by Cristae353
Screee!
Joorim set Groo down and charged straight at On Ijo.
[Activating skill ‘Walpurgis Night.’]
On Ijo activated Shea’s skill.
[Floor 79, activating skill ‘Swift Rakbaje.’]
As he moved his foot, On Ijo’s body shot forward with lightning speed.
At the same time, Joorim reached out her hand.
Boom!
An invisible force blasted out from Joorim’s fingertips, erupting in a powerful explosion.
The shock split the ground, and shattered debris rose into the air.
Crack!
The airborne debris all hurtled toward On Ijo in unison.
Boards and rubble, converging from every direction, stacked themselves around On Ijo as if forming a prison.
On Ijo tried to break free with a skill, but the tightly packed barrier refused to come apart.
If it couldn’t be destroyed physically…
[Floor 82, activating skill ‘Fires of the Pyros.’]
A tiny red ember began to glow and subtle smoke wafted from the barricade’s seams.
The ember rapidly expanded, creating a gaping hole as if molten lava had burned through the mass.
Through the searing hole, On Ijo strode forward, undaunted by the rising heat.
“Haa…”
Joorim drew a quick breath.
After that, the two of them exchanged defensive maneuvers in a guarded standoff.
Both without real intent to attack, their inconclusive struggle ended with On Ijo’s skill.
[Floor 96, activating skill ‘Silent Orphe.’]
An invisible weight pressed out through the air.
Suddenly, the flow of magic was suppressed, the atmosphere thick and heavy.
The fragments flying at On Ijo dropped limply to the ground one by one; deprived of her magic, Joorim could only glare at him in silence.
Suppressing another’s magic rapidly consumed the caster’s own power; it couldn’t last long.
And in pure physical terms, Joorim held the advantage.
On Ijo surely knew that.
“……”
“……”
A taut silence stretched between them.
On Ijo looked past Joorim.
There stood Groo.
The small child hugged her own trembling body tightly.
On Ijo’s gaze wavered, then returned to Joorim.
“Joorim, don’t get in my way.”
His voice was rasped and low.
“You’re the one who’s lost his mind,” Joorim shot back, sharp as ever.
On Ijo bit down on his lower lip.
“…Groo is watching.”
He couldn’t bring himself to meet his terrified daughter’s eyes, so he looked down.
“That’s why you’re still standing, brother. And you were the one who crossed the line first.”
On Ijo’s hand trembled.
Flashes of all that had happened up to now ran through his mind.
A cold sweat ran from his temple the longer the moment dragged on. He gave a faint, awkward laugh.
“You’ve grown up a lot, Joorim.”
At last, he let the magic suppression drop.
“No choice, then.”
In that instant, On Ijo’s eyes lit up with coral.
The triquetra flared, signaling the activation of Gnosis’ Eye. He was going to use Gnosis’ Eye to stop Joorim.
Just as he made to use the ability, Joorim’s eyes flew wide.
“No…!”
Joorim, more alarmed than she could ever have imagined, reached out her hand.
As On Ijo, perplexed, moved to avoid her—
A small shadow clung suddenly to his arm.
“…What?”
Chomp!
A sharp, pinpoint pain.
Startled, On Ijo looked at his arm.
Groo had bitten down hard onto it.
His heart dropped into his stomach.
Where the frightened child had been standing only moments ago, now was a white-haired boy.
‘Was it an illusion?’
While On Ijo mistook Mephisto for Groo, Groo, with Bailach’s help, had quietly crept behind him.
But that wasn’t the main problem.
[Due to the title ‘Blessing of Gnosis, Witch of Truth,’ the effect ‘Gnosis’ Eye’ is being withdrawn from you.]
[1%, 2%, 10%… 30%]
‘What is this…?’
Gnosis’ Eye was being absorbed into Groo.
At the same time, a new notification filled his vision.
[The title ‘Fallen Hero’ urges you to let go of the child.]
On Ijo knew, too. He should let the child go.
But.
He couldn’t bring himself to fling off the tearful little girl.
Bending over, On Ijo wiped Groo’s tears away with his other hand.
[…40%]
The warning tone rushed ever faster.
[Title ‘Fallen Hero’ urges you.]
[Title ‘Fallen Hero’ urges you.]
[Title ‘Fallen Hero’ urges you.]
[Title ‘Fallen Hero’ urges you.]
[Title ‘Fallen Hero’ urges you.]
[Title ‘Fallen Hero’ urges you.]
.
.
.
[…50%]
He couldn’t delay any longer, but On Ijo raised his hand gently, wanting only to comfort the child’s back.
But at that moment—
[The title ‘Fallen Hero’ takes control of you.]
Suddenly, darkness overtook his sight and On Ijo’s body went rigid.
Sensing the change, Joorim shouted at Groo.
“On Groo, get away!”
In that instant, On Ijo swung his arm with ferocious force.
Groo’s small body was hurled mercilessly into the air.
Joorim leapt after her, catching her in his arms and landing on the ground. Before his mind could register the situation, his body had moved, acting on instinct to shield the child.
Groo, her face blanched with terror, clung to him tightly. Seeing her, his breath caught in his throat.
Joorim gritted his teeth, face fierce—a storm of fury whirled in his mind.
“On Ijo. What the hell are you doing…”
Even when his brother attacked him, he hadn’t been this angry.
“How could you do this!”
If not for the child in his arms, he would have lunged at him, barely restraining the edge in his voice.
On Ijo covered his left eye.
Slowly, he lowered his hand—his left eye had reverted to its normal black.
“…How did you take back the eye?”
Creak.
On Ijo moved stiffly, as if using his body for the first time in ages, his head jerking awkwardly.
At the grotesque sight, Joorim, holding Groo in his arms, took an instinctive step back.
That was not his brother.
He knew it instinctively. Something else had taken hold of On Ijo’s body.
On Ijo—or rather, the being possessing him—glared at Groo with terrifying eyes.
Joorim shielded Groo’s gaze and attacked with telekinesis.
But the enemy dodged easily, and faded slowly, indistinctly from sight.
Joorim advanced toward the vanishing figure, step by step.
“Don’t run away like this.”
“……”
On Ijo turned away without answering.
“On Ijo!”
Joorim rushed at him.
But On Ijo’s form vanished into smoke in an instant.
He reached out, but his hand couldn’t even graze a sleeve. On Ijo had disappeared, as if he’d never existed at all.
After he was gone, the barrier On Ijo had erected faded.
With the powerful magic gone, the waiting Hunters swarmed in.
“Guildmaster On?!”
“What in the world happened?!”
Breathless, Joorim hugged Groo even tighter to his chest.
Tears streamed endlessly from the small child.
He pressed his lips again and again to the top of her head.
“It’s all right.”
“Hngh…”
“Everything will be all right.”
“Huuhh… sob…”
“So don’t cry.”
Joorim, spent, drew Groo closer with what strength he had left.
A ringing lingered in his ears. The whole world felt silent.