I turned around at the terrible sound and my shoulders slumped. A really unexpected being was roaring there.

“Ink dragon...?”

It seemed that Mido had succeeded. This was the killing technique of Imitator of Light that I had told Mido about. It was a huge deal that a single constellation could artificially create a dragon. Monet, a painter who used to draw with light until he lost the light. Then he used shadow ink to imitate light. Originally, a maximum of 100 soldiers could be created with shadow ink, but if I remembered correctly, an ink dragon cost 50. Fortunately, Monet seemed to favor Mido.

The ink dragon roared toward the sky once again. However, there was a powerful magic in the sound. My ears seemed to ring and at the same time, strength was drained out of my body.

“Groan.”

[You have been hit by the Fear of the ink dragon.]

[Fear reduces all stats by 20%.]

[You won't be able to move for five seconds.]

“What? Why attack us?”

[The first apostle, 'Prometheus,' is shouting at you to avoid it!]

“......!”

It was in the blink of an eye.

The roaring ink dragon opened its mouth and fired a Breath at me. A ray of black light pa.s.sed over my head. The black ink Breath devastated everything in a straight line. I couldn't move my body because of the Dragon Fear, but fortunately, I wasn't the target.

The target was the golem where the ice had melted away. The upper body was swept away. The golem with an open chest collapsed without strength like a poorly constructed structure. The golem collapsed with a howl.

[The US team's golem has been destroyed.]

[The remaining time until the next golem is summoned is 10 minutes.]

[10:00]

“Sigh.”

[The first apostle, 'Prometheus,' is saying that it is somehow ominous.]

“It is Mido's first time, so she can't control the dragon.”

[The first apostle, 'Prometheus,' is saying that it is still ominous.]

“Tsk. Stop repeating it.”

I walked toward the ink soldiers slowly approaching. I could also see Mido walking over with her sword drawn. Just then, the other Korean team members arrived. They emerged on Mido's side and ran toward her.

“Mido, is that your ability? Amazing!”

“What? Another Kitty? In any case, you really love Kitty.”

“Is it the ability to turn Kitty into soldiers?” Isn't it amazing?”

“Look over there. The US team is frozen!”

“Wow. Grandfather, amazing.”

They were reaching Mido ahead of me. They had collected more than 30 magic cores. This would be enough to destroy the US team's castle in the next attack.

“Mido, I also like Kitty...”

There was the sound of something cutting through Lim Sara. She was unaware of what happened as blood flowed from her mouth.

“......!”

“......!”

“......!”

Everyone, including me, looked at Mido in a fl.u.s.tered manner. At the same time, Mido's sword moved rapidly. It was really in a moment. The bloodstained sword moved freely. The young men in front of me looked at their bodies with disbelieving expressions, but they had already suffered fatal injuries.

The sword wounds on them spread and blood spurted like a fountain. It was like seeing a blooming flower of blood.

[The first apostle, 'Prometheus,' says that he knew it.]

d.a.m.n. What was going on...?

“......!”

Mido made eye contact with me and in an instant, she launched a distant sword technique. Sharp, half-moon sword energies poured toward me several times. I quickly used Blade Wind to escape at high speed while still looking in her eyes. Her eyes were looking into the air and seemed empty.

...Don't tell me, was she being manipulated? I could see the sword in her hand moving like the wind. It was definitely b.l.o.o.d.y Butcher, but it was a bit different. It was a strange shape that grew due to the blood. What the h.e.l.l was going on?

[The first apostle, 'Prometheus,' is telling you to use Insight.]

“Insight.”

I forgot since I hadn't used it for a long time. Mido's stats were at the beginning, but I went down to the bottom.

[*Currently being controlled by her constellation.]

She was being controlled?

[The first apostle, 'Prometheus,' is frowning.]

It was the same for me.

If my memories were correct, the third-grade Monet didn't have this ability.

“......!”

Just then, Mido raised one hand with an empty expression. She gathered the blood that had fallen around her and released a tornado with a strong rotation.

“Crazy.”

The blood tornado came as if it had predicted my movements. This was when Solar appeared in front of me, emitting light and creating a huge explosion. Fortunately, I was immune to fire so I didn't receive any damage. However, the backlash from the explosion was inevitable. I quickly rolled across the ground and stood up. The blood tornado was offset by the explosion and had already disappeared.

Prometheus possessed Solar and shouted, “This stupid old man! This is why I've been telling you that I have an ominous feeling!”

“Shut up, this guy. I'm going to become deaf!”

It wasn't over yet.

The Kitty soldiers carried weapons and rushed to this area.

“Prometheus, take care of them.”

“Old man, what are you going to do?”

“I have to stop Mido.”

I rode the wind and appeared behind Mido. It was painful, but I decided to hurt myself in order to stop Mido. Blade Wind poured over her. First of all, I wanted her to let go of the sword she was holding. The attack aimed at Mido's right arm flew. Dozens of cuts were engraved on Mido's right arm and blood gushed out. The problem was the blood started attacking me again.

“......!”

I crossed my arms to block the spikes of blood that suddenly flew and avoided Mido's incoming sword. However, not everything could be avoided. Blood blossomed from the open wounds.

[A b.l.o.o.d.y flower is blossoming from your wounds.]

[The b.l.o.o.d.y flower will grow with your blood and continue to open the wound.]

[You are forced to continue bleeding.]

What? It was like this? Did Monet become stronger? Mido's right arm had already stopped bleeding and the wound had regenerated in an instant.

[Blood is lacking...]

It was a voice that was a mix of Mido and some other being.

[I need blood...]

Mido's eyes were red. It was only then that I was able to feel it. Monet wasn't in a normal state.

“Monet, wake up.”

[Blood...]

Monet da Vinci used his shadow ink power to become a vampire king, but his native race was human. He was a vampire who never sucked blood due to his natural patience. Now it seemed like something was wrong with him. Now his appearance was just like a vampire. His eyes were definitely craving blood.

“Old man!” Prometheus saw something and quickly called out. The Kitty soldiers had already scattered and returned to being paintings, but the problem was Prometheus' location.

“It is almost undone.” 

“Ahh, I thought I was going to die.”

“What is that dragon?”

“I think this is a great ability.”

The US players had been released from Permafrost and were pounding their necks. Their movements were still slow. It was the 'slow' abnormal condition. However, after five seconds, they would be completely normal. Then Mido moved. In the blink of an eye, b.l.o.o.d.y flowers once again blossomed as Mido pa.s.sed by the US players and stopped behind them. I didn't delay any longer. I appeared behind her and struck her on the back of the neck.

Tak!

“......!”

Mido looked up before closing her eyes. The roaring ink dragon shattered and disappeared. Then a message popped up.

[There are no survivors in the US team.]

[It is a victory for South Korea.]

[The screen will turn off after five seconds.]

[5, 4...]

My eyes were on Mido's weakly sagging head. My emotions right now were extremely complicated.

* * *

30 minutes later, at a hospital near Union Square...

Shortly after the game, we returned to the waiting room. Mido suddenly lost consciousness. I called out to the staff to bring the medical team. She was diagnosed with temporary unconsciousness, but in case of an emergency, they sent her to a nearby hospital in an ambulance to do a more precise examination.

Now I was in the room where Mido lay. There were all the Korean representatives and their families as well. They all watched her with anxious eyes. Just then, Mido let out a small groan from where she was lying down. “Umm...”

“Mido!”

“Have you regained consciousness?”

Everyone was worried and called her name. Kim Mikyung was amazed and grabbed Mido's hand with both of her hands. Mido opened her eyes and turned her head to the side. “Mother...?”

“Yes, it's your mom. Are you okay?”

“Wasn't I in the waiting room?”

Kim Mikyung explained how she had fainted. Then the doctor came in and said there were no abnormalities in the detailed examination. Everyone sighed with relief.

I was glad. I wouldn't have known what to do with my guilt if there were any problems. I was the one who handed her the Star Fruit after all.

“Ah right, the game!” Mido glanced at me with a shocked expression.

I shook my head. “I decided to give up. I also did it after consulting these friends here. The US team has been eliminated. Even if other countries win, it won't change that we are still in first place. We decided to abstain cleanly and focus on tomorrow's event.”

“Ah...”

Mido looked over at her teammates and they smiled.

Lim Changyong opened his mouth. “Okay, everyone has seen that Mido is fine. Let's go back. We have to prepare for tomorrow.”

They seemed to have forgotten about what had already happened. It was because Mido said she couldn't remember the previous situation. In fact, they had watched from the outside when they were logged out and saw that Mido seemed to be possessed by something.

“Mido, you are fine, so have a good rest and we'll see you tomorrow.”

“Unni...” Mido stared at Lim Sara with shaky eyes.

Lim Sara told her, “Oh my, if you're feeling sorry, then come back tomorrow. We'll be going~! Have a good rest!”

Lim Sara walked away with our teammates. Once they left, Kim Mikyung clapped and offered to go buy delicious food. After a while, the only ones left in the room were me and Mido. “Dad?”

“There is a doctor he knows in the hospital. He is a neurosurgeon so your dad is going to ask him to pay more attention to you.”

“There is no need...”

“He'll probably come soon since you have woken up.” 

“Huhu. Dad will be very excited.”

“Um, probably?”

At the same time, I could hear a panting sound from outside. Then the door of the room opened. “Mido, are you okay?!”

Choi Kanghyun appeared.

Mido and I laughed at the same time.

“Puhuhu.”

“Puhuhu.”

The laughs of the grandfather and granddaughter were very similar.

(Submission End Date: 15th November)