Returnee's S-Rank Management Guide

Chapter 142 : Life Lantern Ignition (命燈導火) (3)

Life Lantern Ignition (命燈導火) (3)

Magic power was an element of miracles, and Lee Soo-ah's sensitivity to such mana was unprecedentedly outstanding.

The proof of that had always been the blue flames surrounding her body.

'The phenomenon now appearing before my eyes is mana responding to such Soo-ah's will.'

Flames that appeared on the chests of all the people in the entire area.

They resembled lanterns.

Those lanterns seemed to empathize with people's emotions—burning fiercely for some, and calmly for others.

'Just like...'

As if representing the life of a human.

'Life Lantern(命燈).'

True to its name, it was a lantern that represented a person's life.

Suddenly, that name came to mind.

Those lanterns did not appear for everyone.

Only those within the realm of the flames conjured by Soo-ah could see the lanterns.

"... Is this her Conceptualization Technique?"

Looking at the blue flame blooming on his own chest, Nam Ho-seung muttered.

The Conceptualization Technique, a symbol that only Awakeners who had reached a certain level and above could use.

Soo-ah had not been able to use the Conceptualization Technique until now, nor had she even gotten a proper sense of how to do it.

According to Baek Hojun, it was because she had a strong dependency on me.

He said that unless she broke that dependency, using the Conceptualization Technique would be difficult.

'But why all of a sudden?'

Had something happened downstairs that I wasn't aware of?

Even if Ardan's pure stats had been boosted by the Demon King's blood, if he lacked proper reason, he would actually be easier to deal with.

So, if it's Soo-ah, she should be more than enough...

"No matter how precious someone is, merely shielding them won't do them good."

At that moment, Nam Ho-seung muttered to himself.

"Like when we sent off Shin Ah-yeon."

"... That's..."

"I was just talking to myself, no need to mind it."

Saying so, he got up, pushing off his knees.

"First, since the tower is melting, let's hurry up and get out of here."

It was as if he was saying there was no need for me to worry about things here anymore.

"Oh, and..."

Just as I was about to jump down the tower, Nam Ho-seung pointed at my hood and added,

"Is that a secret?"

"For now, yes."

"Then you'd better keep your mouth shut as much as possible."

He answered, and then gestured with his eyes for me to hurry along, as if telling me to go quickly.

He was proving that he wasn't the vice-guildmaster of Mirae Guild for nothing.

His personality was aggressive, but in terms of insight, he was second to none.

'I did hope Soo-ah would learn the Conceptualization Technique.'

But this wasn't what I had wished for.

***

The lanterns were visible.

Chasing those wildly flickering lanterns, I thrust my sword, only for it to be repelled.

'How annoying.'

How dare a beast that has lost its reason...

The two swords were overlaid with long ice blades.

Whenever Soo-ah's sword struck them, the ice would melt, shatter, and scatter.

The coldness that had once radiated from Ardan's body had long since been suppressed by Soo-ah's flames.

'Unforgivable.'

Life had always been something that kept getting taken.

He was the one who reached out to catch her when she was about to fall behind and be discarded as useless.

It wasn't as if she had especially wanted him.

Just having him by her side had been enough.

'Absolutely unforgivable.'

As if answering her wrath, the raging flames blazed even more fiercely.

Not only did they burn in her hair, but they now seemed to wrap around her entire body, growing ever larger.

The magic power in the entire vicinity was being sucked into her, and the hunters nearby could feel a little of their mana being drawn out from their mana halls.

"W-what is this?"

Suddenly, blue flames erupted on their chests, and now even their magic power was beginning to drain away.

"T-this flame... it won't cause a disaster, right?"

"Come on, it's probably just a flame made by Hunter Lee Soo-ah..."

That's what they said, but an odd sense of unease overwhelmed them.

The way Soo-ah kept relentlessly swinging her sword at Ardan—it was hard to tell which one was the real monster.

*Boom!*

She swung her sword wide, like wielding a baseball bat, and Ardan's body was sent flying back as it couldn't withstand the blow. Soo-ah immediately chased after him, thrusting her sword at the flame burning on his chest.

*Clang!*

At that moment, her sword was knocked away.

Soo-ah's mind, overflowing with rage, couldn't grasp what had just repelled her sword.

She just kept swinging at the being before her.

Already, nothing but the blue flames were being reflected in Soo-ah's eyes.

She was only chasing after those blue flames with her sword.

"Soo-ah-ssi."

That was when a familiar voice reached her ears.

She felt someone grab the sword she had swung down.

"I'm fine."

With those words, the blue flames shining in her eyes faded.

Because the flames had melted the ice, the fog dispersed, and she saw a familiar man standing there.

"Ma...nager-nim?"

"Yes, Soo-ah-ssi."

He was alive.

Of course, what the demon had said must've been a lie.

There was no way Jung-woo would die to such a demon.

"Khrrrrr..."

Just then, Ardan, who had been sent flying by Soo-ah, was getting back up, staggering.

Seeing that, Jung-woo let out a sigh of relief and turned away.

'That was close.'

If he hadn't stopped it, Ardan would have been killed by Soo-ah's hands then and there.

That was absolutely not allowed to happen.

Not because saving Ardan would be beneficial.

It was clear that it would also have a very bad impact on Soo-ah herself.

"You can rest now. I'll take care of the rest..."

"No."

Soo-ah shook her head, grabbing the sleeve of Jung-woo, who was blocking her way.

"This time, I want to do it myself."

At those words, Jung-woo hesitated for a moment.

The Myungdeung that filled the area still hadn't faded.

It meant Soo-ah's rage hadn't completely disappeared.

"... Alright."

But Jung-woo chose to trust Soo-ah.

"Thank you."

The outcome had already been decided anyway.

Infused with the king's blood, unable to fight properly, Ardan was already a complete wreck.

"Graaaagh!!"

Bellowing like a beast, he rushed at Soo-ah, as if intent on killing nothing else but the being before his eyes.

"..."

Soo-ah looked at him quietly.

She could see the flickering flame of life with piercing clarity.

*Whoosh!*

Two swords swinging at her neck and chest.

But Soo-ah's sword was faster.

Taking a large step forward, she thrust her sword at his exposed chest.

Aiming for the blue life lantern burning there.

*Shhk!*

A chilling sound of flesh being pierced rang out.

Soo-ah's sword had run through the blue flame on Ardan's chest.

If she extinguished that blue flame now, Ardan would meet his death.

Soo-ah closed her eyes slowly, focusing her mind on the sword.

*Fwoooosh!*

Then, Ardan's flame blazed up violently.

"... I burned away the foreign essence within the flame."

The king's blood that had clung to Ardan's life.

Surely, this was what Jung-woo had wanted.

"I believed you would."

"Really?"

Holding the now-collapsing Ardan, whose king's blood had disappeared, Soo-ah squinted at Jung-woo at his words.

The fierce anger that had filled her moments ago was completely gone.

"I think I must've been misunderstanding you all this time, but it's not because you're lacking that I stepped in to do things for you."

The same was true for Shim Chun-hoo, and again this time.

It wasn't that Soo-ah was lacking and he had to fix things for her.

"Soo-ah-ssi is kind."

Those loved by mana were easily influenced by emotion.

That was why Soo-ah's flames changed depending on her emotional state.

"I just didn't want you to have to go through something like killing someone."

Shim Chun-hoo had been on the verge of death.

On top of that, he had been a murderer consumed by madness, and in Ardan's case, his full intentions were unclear.

If it came to a situation where she had to kill, knowing Ardan's motives for coming to this world, Soo-ah wouldn't be able to avoid being affected.

'Of course, it was also because I had no proper means to enter the tower.'

Jung-woo thought to offer some words of comfort to Soo-ah, who was staring blankly at him.

He would have, if only people weren't starting to gather around them.

"... Let's go back first and deal with the rest there. I'll go ahead, so please handle the aftermath."

"Huh? Ah, w-wait! Then what about this person...?"

"I'll take him."

Receiving Ardan from Soo-ah, Jung-woo quickly scanned the surroundings.

If he stayed here, they'd soon be surrounded by people with no way out.

"Let's meet at Ah-yeon's mansion."

With a light farewell to a flustered Soo-ah, Jung-woo slung Ardan over his shoulder and ran.

Only now did the end of the incident come into view.

***

'Where...?'

Ardan opened his eyes, wondering why he was still alive.

The last thing he remembered was 'the one loved by mana' looking at him with eyes full of hatred.

He was sure that he had died.

Fighting against Jung-woo, his body had been shattered, and with the king's blood he hadn't even been capable of rational thought.

"Hey, you're awake?"

A strange voice entered his ear.

He turned his wavering gaze in that direction, and saw women crowded around looking down at him.

Among them was 'the one loved by mana' he had fought with.

'... Good god.'

Only then did Ardan realize Jung-woo had spared his life.

And that he had been dragged into the enemy's stronghold.

"Hey, he looks like he's come to his senses, so why's he not saying anything?"

"I—I don't know either. A-Ardan-nim, please wake up!"

To make things worse, there was another demon present.

His face was swollen from being beaten so badly, it was almost pitiable.

"Ardan Bello."

While Ardan was too shocked to speak and just watching, Jung-woo approached with a faint smile.

"I don't plan to kill you, so why don't you pull yourself together?"

"... Why did you save me?"

Finally, Ardan slowly sat up and spoke.

Seeing this, Ah-yeon met eyes with Soo-ah and gave a nod.

"Yeah, why did he save you?"

"Unni, do you not have any compassion?"

"You're the one who beat him to death. It was all caught on the news, you know."

Jung-woo half-listened to their exchange and checked Ardan's condition.

Apparently, there wasn't anything wrong with his body.

'Was it called Life Lantern, Ignition?'

Soo-ah's Conceptualization Technique. He'd roughly given it a name like that—it was a well-fitting title.

The effect was shocking, even though it didn't distinguish between friend or foe.

"There's a saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"... Are you saying I should fight for you?"

"Even if I don't ask, that's what's going to happen."

At Jung-woo's wry smile, Ardan frowned.

Because he couldn't guess what he really meant.

"Come with me."

Saying so, Jung-woo gestured to Ardan.

Ardan hesitated, but he had nowhere to run anyway.

There were three S-rank Awakener here.

One was a Saintess and the other loved by mana.

'That last one feels odd too...'

Ardan studied Ah-yeon, who was talking with Soo-ah.

In terms of mana quantity, she wasn't especially extraordinary among the S-rank.

Definitely not lacking, but compared to the Saintess or the one loved by mana, she was very normal.

Yet somehow, Ardan felt a strange aura from Ah-yeon.

It felt oddly familiar, and chilling.

"This way..."

Jung-woo led Ardan to a small room in a corner of the mansion.

Ardan was puzzled by the faint demonic energy he felt in the room.

Was there another demon here?

'But this demonic energy...'

It was familiar.

Actually, more than familiar.

"I told you before, right?"

That if he'd tell him where his daughter's heart was, he would back down.

The answer was right inside this room.

*Bang!*

At Jung-woo's words, Ardan was too shocked to answer and hurriedly opened the door.

The room was very dark.

It was probably set up so the person lying on the bed could get a good rest.

"... Yuria."

Blankly, Ardan muttered that name.

A girl lay on the bed.

She was only a half-demon, not a pure demon, but that didn't matter to Ardan.

A girl whose face looked almost as if she had been born again.

And on her forehead was the very thing Ardan had been searching for all this time.

His daughter, Yuria's heart.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Alls swell that ends swell, or something like that.

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】