Returnee's S-Rank Management Guide

Chapter 183 : Like a Shining Star (4)

Like a Shining Star (4)

"What's going on?"

Ryan Knox, from the American side, who was watching the scene, opened his eyes wide.

It wasn't just because an incomprehensible phenomenon was occurring.

He could have simply thought of it as a special kind of magic.

The important thing was that the power possessed by that girl, Yeon-ji, had become unbelievably enormous.

Her already huge amount of magic power had now reached a level that was impossible to estimate.

"...... S-rank over."

At that moment, an American official who was measuring Yeon-ji's magic power murmured.

At the unbelievable remark, Ryan quickly turned his gaze.

"What did you say?"

"I-If you look at pure magic power alone, she's far beyond S-rank. Perhaps, even SS-rank......"

At the unbelievable figure, Ryan looked over at Alencia.

Since Alencia had lived with Yeon-ji for so long, she would surely know something about her.

"......"

But Alencia did not spare a single glance at Ryan, her gaze fixed on the arena.

Because she was now feeling Yeon-ji's change more directly.

'Demonic energy.'

Alencia had a vague idea that Yeon-ji was reluctant to use her own power.

Ah-yeon or Soo-ah probably knew as well.

She had always suppressed and avoided using her power as much as she could.

But now, things were different.

She was unleashing all the power she had suppressed, using everything she possessed.

What on earth had changed her mind?

Alencia was simply curious about that.

***

The power gained in the time of Ji Yeon-hwa.

And the side of herself she had been turning away from all this time.

Yeon-ji never thought she would have to face that again.

'Ah.'

It felt like she was about to lose consciousness at any moment.

It was the same as back then.

That sensation of forcibly gripping uncontrollable, overwhelming strength.

Her vision flickered white, then black, making it hard to recognize anything.

Sol Mayer, who had been standing before her, reached out in shock.

Perhaps he noticed her change and was trying to do something about it.

But such things didn't matter to Yeon-ji.

She was simply replaying in her mind the conversation she'd just had.

'Is it really okay?'

Yeon-ji, or rather, Yeon-hwa, asked him inwardly.

Of course, he wasn't by her side now.

He couldn't answer her.

But back then, he clearly said so.

Told her not to forget Ji Yeon-hwa.

Told her he hoped she'd be proud of herself.

"Yeon-hwa-ssi, why did you want to become a mage?"

Jung-woo had asked Yeon-ji, after she stopped crying.

"The reason I wanted to become a mage? Why are you asking?"

"I just wanted to hear it."

At that moment, his tone had shifted to formal speech.

It probably meant he wasn't talking to 'Yeon-ji', but to 'Yeon-hwa'.

That change amused her somehow.

"It wasn't anything special."

Not some grand reason like that woman, Shin Ah-yeon.

She really was nothing special.

"I told you I grew up in an orphanage."

Back then, being praised a little had been everything to her.

Every once in a while, people from the association would come to check if there were any awakeners among the abandoned kids.

Yeon-hwa was one of those who had been discovered by chance.

"The teachers and the other kids all called me a genius and praised me."

She honestly felt like she really was a genius.

Even the people from the association who came were amazed.

"I'd never been praised like that before."

Honestly, she had a difficult personality and wasn't especially good at anything.

She did okay in her studies, but there were plenty of others who did just as well.

But magic was different.

Everyone praised her.

Called her a genius, told her she'd become someone amazing.

So, she wanted to become that kind of person.

"I was a woman with a strong sense of vanity since I was a child."

She wanted to be praised.

She wanted to be admired, always.

That was simply the reason.

She didn't know when that turned to obsession.

"Isn't it ridiculous?"

He just smiled at her words.

When she glared at him, asking why he was smiling, he just shrugged and said,

"I just thought you really remember it properly."

Only then did Yeon-ji recall what Jung-woo said about not forgetting Ji Yeon-hwa.

"That's enough."

Enough for what?

As that question passed through her mind, Yeon-ji's consciousness fell into darkness.

It was the same as before.

It was the feeling she had when she was swallowed by the demon's heart on Mt. Seorak.

The feeling of her whole self fading away.

The dreadful sensation of forgetting herself.

Sol Mayer was nowhere to be seen.

Was the difference this time that she still had proper consciousness?

In the darkness, Yeon-ji kept walking.

'Ah.'

And then she saw it.

A castle of white ice.

Her face reflected in the white ice wall.

But it wasn't Yeon-ji's face.

It was Ji Yeon-hwa's face.

She didn't know why such a change had occurred.

No, she thought she maybe knew a little.

Perhaps it was because of his words.

The words asking her not to forget Ji Yeon-hwa.

Or the words wanting her to be proud of herself.

Because of that, unlike before, she could now arrive at this ice castle.

She opened the door to the ice castle and stepped in.

She wandered through the empty ice castle and walked up the stairs.

Somehow, it was in her memory.

When she thought about it, it felt like she'd seen it in a dream.

That time, after returning from America, when she had slept for a while.

She vaguely recalled seeing something like this in her dreams.

There, a white-haired girl was looking out the window.

"Yuria."

Though she had never seen her before, Yeon-hwa knew who she was.

The owner of the heart embedded in her forehead.

At Yeon-hwa's call, Yuria, who was gazing out the window, slowly turned around.

The Grand Duchess of Winter.

She looked at her.

***

"This power is..."

Sol Mayer trembled at the scene unfolding before his eyes.

If it were before, he wouldn't have known what this power was.

But now, having obtained a similar power, he could clearly sense the 'demonic energy' spreading through the pitch-black arena.

'She also obtained the power of a demon?'

The same top-rank demon power as himself.

He had been told that he was the only one implanted with the power of a top-rank demon so far.

「This is an experiment.」

The demon who gave him this power had said so.

「With your Conceptualization Technique, perhaps you could accept the power of a top-rank demon.」

One who could analyze all phenomena and take them as his own.

With the absolute adaptability—the power of Chester Mayer.

「Congratulations, you have now become proof of a new history.」

Then, using the demon's power, Chester had devoured Sol Mayer.

Because the power's affinity was so well-matched with his own, it was perfect.

Butcher Henate.

The top-rank demon who became one with him.

The girl before his eyes felt, if anything, even purer in demonic energy than himself.

'She also has the power of a top-rank demon, like me.'

That couldn't be.

Top-rank demons could not display their true power in a world that hadn't fully become the demon realm.

That was why he had used such a workaround to unite the power with himself.

"...... Even if that's true, it doesn't matter."

Even if that girl also possessed the power of a top-rank demon, she could not defeat him.

Hwang Yeon-ji was an A-rank awakener.

That was for certain. She had outstanding skills, but not the level of an S-rank.

But now, she was an S-rank awakener.

And she possessed the power of a top-rank demon.

"You're not the only one with that power."

From Chester Mayer's heart, black power writhed.

The roar of the Butcher echoed, as he barely clung to his consciousness.

Henate's all-devouring power felt ready to swallow him at any moment.

His heart pounded as intense demonic energy spread through his body, and he felt his magic power swelling.

Now, he was certainly stronger than Sol Mayer.

"Whatever's going on... I'll blow you away completely."

Countless magic arrays began to form around Sol Mayer, all aimed at the unmoving Yeon-ji.

His own dark magic, created by analyzing Yeon-ji's dark magic.

He was truly grateful.

Thanks to Yeon-ji using dark magic, he had learned an efficient way to handle demonic energy.

Combining this with Sol Mayer's own magic, it was now easy to cast even more powerful spells.

"You seem to be having a lot of fun."

The demon Sebin, watching Sol Mayer from the stands, let out a hollow laugh.

The test subject to whom top-rank demon power had been granted on the recommendation of Jin Su-hyuk, citing his special talent.

Surprisingly, he seemed to be quickly adapting, possibly because his affinity with Henate was good.

The sheer scale of the magic he was using now was almost nipping at the heels of a top-rank demon.

'But.......'

Sol Mayer was a valuable subject, but even more bothersome was the girl on the other side.

She had been standing still at some point, but the shadows spreading around her were automatically protecting her.

Sol Mayer had fired minor spells at her through the suddenly spreading shadows, but none reached her, all dissipating.

'That must be the demon's heart that was used on Ji Yeon-hwa.'

The demon's heart that was supposedly used on Ji Yeon-hwa.

It contained the power of a top-rank demon, but as it belonged to a demon who died before properly awakening their power, its quality was not good.

So he hadn't paid it much mind......

'But to think that would be Yuria's.'

Yuria, the Grand Duchess of Winter.

Ardan's daughter, the weakest demon who had never once left the Winter Castle.

'That heart shouldn't have that kind of power.'

Moreover, the girl handling Yuria's heart was a half-demon.

An existence that should not exist.

A being where the power of human and demon had perfectly combined—almost the god they wanted to create.

Goooo!!

An immense magic power gathered around Sol Mayer, as if to evaporate everything including the shadows.

Others might not have noticed, but Sebin could see the changes happening in Sol Mayer's body.

'This should be enough.'

Sebin became convinced as he looked at Sol Mayer.

Currently, the biggest issue for the demons was how to summon a top-rank demon to this world.

Without being able to open a gate using the Demon King's power, they could not fully summon a top-rank demon.

Even if they did, a fully manifested top-rank demon couldn't display true power in an earth that hadn't become the demon realm.

So their solution was simple.

Fuse a top-rank demon and a human.

It was an absurd idea, but the technique from Benadic, witnessed at Gwehyeoldo, made it possible.

And even technologies once used by humans 'from the other side'.

All of that power had settled into today's 'Sol Mayer' without much issue.

Looking at Sol Mayer's remarkable adaptability, Sebin was filled with anticipation.

If he could fully handle Henate's power, the demons would gain a significant force.

And, not just Henate—other top-rank demons could also be called into this world with ease.

"Hm?"

Just as Sol Mayer's magic was about to be unleashed—

Sebin's gaze shifted.

Yeon-ji, who had been standing perfectly still, moved ever so slightly.

At the same time, the black shadows began to freeze into white ice.

"What the......."

He wasn't surprised simply because the shadows froze.

He shivered at the sheer magnitude of the power radiating from Yeon-ji's body.

Moreover, that power continued to grow.

That's when Sebin realized what was really happening before him.

Yuria the demon had died before awakening her full power, before her bloodline could blossom.

What was now happening was the premonition of the awakening that hadn't happened back then.

'If she fully awakens—?'

Ardan is currently with Park Jung-woo.

Naturally, that thing will join their side.

That's not good.

Handling S-ranks and the Saintess was already difficult—if something like this joins them as well...

「Deal with it, now!」

Sebin urgently conveyed his thoughts to Sol Mayer.

Simultaneously, Sol Mayer's magic arrays all fired at Yeon-ji.

Kwakwang! Kwakwakwakwang!!

An impact powerful enough to blow away the entire arena.

The reverberations were so intense that even the stands shook, and the whole place was in uproar.

Even if she was an S-rank, wasn't it enough to kill her?

Especially now, as Sol Mayer's magic bombarded the unmoving Yeon-ji without mercy.

Even after unleashing his barrage, Sol Mayer didn't stop.

Before the dust could even settle, he continuously fired black orbs of light at Yeon-ji.

"W-Wait, please stop for a moment!"

A flustered referee blew his horn, shouting to stop Sol Mayer, but he paid no attention.

The shadows still hadn't vanished.

In fact, the area of ice was gradually spreading to where Sol Mayer was standing.

'Something's wrong.'

Why is her magic power growing stronger?

He was clearly the one attacking.

Charururuk!!

He heard the sound of chains clinking.

As he turned his eyes, seeking the source, an ice-forged chain broke through the black orbs and struck Sol Mayer square in the chest.

Until now, the black chains had never once broken through his barriers, but these pierced right through and landed directly on Sol Mayer's heart.

Kwaaang!!

"Ghh!!"

Sol Mayer reeled backward from the blow, hastily using magic to fend off the chains that followed.

The rising dust instantly froze, turning into ice shards that shattered away.

'That's.......'

Amid the fragments of breaking ice, a girl stood in silence.

No—was she really a girl?

Her form was clearly more mature than before.

"...... A mirror?"

Yeon-ji stood in the mist made of hazy ice.

Behind her back was a transparent mirror made of ice.

It was something even Chester Mayer's Conceptualization Technique couldn't comprehend. Some unknown thing.

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

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