Ahhh! I grabbed at the swordsmans hem, worried that Woo Ragi would collapse.

The swordsman was shaky, but he seemed to endure the weight. His knee was barely off the ground. However, unlike when he had easily leapt up with me in his arms, I could feel his arm muscles spasming.

A-Are you okay?

What about you? Woo Ragi asked, voice filtering through clenched teeth.

Me? Im fine

Then, get off for a moment. As Woo Ragi said that, he flung me onto the floor. I was startled, but I felt he wasnt intentionally being malicious and, rather, the situation had gotten too difficult for him. So, I awkwardly plopped down on the cold floor, and chased the sounds of Woo Ragis movements with my unseeing gaze.

Crash!

Soon afterwards, it sounded like something shattered across the floor. A few pieces of stone that bounced off the fractured floor grazed across my cheek. I flinched, and my shoulders trembled. As soon as I leaned back, something that seemed like a cold stick touched my back.

Heeee! Startled, I turned around. I heard the echoing thrum of a metal plate. I couldnt be sure because of my blindness, but it felt like Woo Ragi had left one of his echo blades behind me.

When I reached out my hand and brushed it with my fingertips, the echo blade retreated slightly. The way it kept away reminded me of a magnet.

So, I stopped thinking about trying to touch it and looked straight forward again. I couldnt even see my surroundings anywayI might as well focus on the swordsman.

I held my breath and concentrated; the clear sounds penetrated my ears. The sound of something tapping and stomping hard on the floor; the lingering sounds of the sword digging deep into the floor. I heard these noises around me, both left and right.

Woo Ragi probably, while running in one direction, kept directing his attacks toward the center. Everytime the swordsman attacked, it sounded like glass scraping against glass. However, Id heard this sound once before, so I could immediately imagine the scene.

The sword struck a shield

The tension continued to build.

Clank!

As time passed, I became anxious. It didnt sound like things were bumping against the wallsit sounded like things were crashing into and breaking the walls.

In particular, whenever that monster used a skill, the sound of glass shattering or metal meeting metal erupted. For some reason, it sounded like the swordsman was getting pushed back and pummeled into the ground or walls.

Of course, I couldnt hear any groans from Woo Ragi or anythingBut, ominously, his attack rate seemed to come slower and slower.

[Mana Drain.]

Haah At that moment, it sounded like Woo Ragi took a deep breath; the echo blade behind me suddenly flew away. A long silence followed.

A-Are you alright? I asked.

Woo Ragi, are you okay?! I couldnt resist and yelled towards the last place I could hear any sort of movement. However, no one answered me. I couldnt even hear anything else. I groped and crawled around in that eerie silence.

W-What is this Is there no one there?

At first, I crawled falteringly, but now I began to move with gusto. While it felt like I had moved a fair distance, I ran into nothing. It felt like Woo Ragi and the Monster had disappeared into thin air.

Where did the two of them go? Did I fall into some strange place?

Even so, I couldnt possibly just sit in one place. Also, I believed that Woo Ragi, no matter where he disappeared, would come to find me. I crawled around a little more

Something round suddenly rolled up to my fingertips and touched it. Because I was blind, I couldnt see what it exactly was, but I quickly removed my hand reflexively.

I didnt want to imagine something unpleasant, but whatever that thing wasit was so cold. Plus, it felt like there was something stringy, and fur-like on the surface It felt exactly like hair.

I-It cant be I shook my head and tried to observe it again.

Before I could reach out again, someones footsteps approached. That soundthose footstepsstopped directly in front of me. Pierced with fear, I raised my head.

[Were you searching for this?]

The voices owner kicked the round thing towards me. As soon as it touched my hand, I clenched my fists and curled my fingers; my body began trembling against my will.

As soon as I was about to say something, I remembered Woo Ragis reminder to not respond. My breaths came heavier and heavier as I continued to retreat. However, I soon hit a firm wall.

[Did Ragi tell you not to answer me?]

That thing, imitating Seo Dawons voice, asked in an amused tone. I didnt respond. However, soon, soft fingers touched my cheek. Without hesitation, that thing began stroking my face. When I could feel the ring on its hand, I firmly shut my eyes.

It really feels like Seo Dawon No, it cant be.

[Open your eyes.]

I clenched my teeth and lowered my head; that thing touched my lips as if to make a mockery of me. Then, something damp touched my lips. I could smell a faint scent of blooda kiss?

[Im not a fake, Lee-kyung-ah.]

That thing whispered reproachfully at me for not responding. I pushed at him strongly at that moment, but its solid body did not budge one inch. Seo Dawon lightly embraced me and buried its face into the nape of my neck. It murmured, lips moving against my skin

[Dont you find his words suspicious?]

With that said, Seo Dawon stroked my lower back. I clenched my teeth and tried to escape his hands, but the more I struggled the more his arms felt like shackles.

Eventually, in my efforts to slip out from its arms, I finally opened my eyes. And, as soon as I opened my eyes, the swarm of black tentacles holding me and my body collapsed, as if they were sinking to the bottom of a swamp. Simultaneously, I made eye contact with Seo Dawon who only had his head and neck left.

!

I couldnt even scream and opened my eyes wide with shock as I saw Seo Dawon in its current state. Seo Dawon smiled insidiously and extended black tentacles towards me. Then, those black tentacles slowly began to take on a human form.

Starting from hands and chestall the way to feetthe tentacles took shape and changed color. Now, it had completely changed into a perfect replica of the Mage I so intimately knew. It then stretched out its newly formed hand towards me.

At that moment.

I told you not to answer it, you idiot.

Suddenly, I could hear Woo Ragis temperamental voice from below; A diagonal line suddenly appeared in Seo Dawons chest. Still smiling, Seo Dawons chest was separated from its head.

I was too weary to even scream; I simply looked on with my stiff mouth open, dazed. Seo Dawon became even more gruesome after it was cut open.

Startlingly, Woo Ragi, the one who had cut Seo Dawon from behind had nothing above his neck. He still had the stance of an incredibly disciplined swordsman, but, instead of a head, I could see the cross-section of his neck.

Of course, the anatomical details werent clearly visible; the edges of his neck were shadowed. Anyway, I couldnt bear to see such a gory scene.

However, I had no time to fall into a panic. What the Wh What the hell.

Hey, pick me up by my throat.

What? I looked towards the direction of his voice. Woo Ragis head was near my foot. I stared blankly at his golden hair before, falteringly, lifting his head with both hands. I wasnt confident enough to look into the swordsmans face, so I continued to hold it in its backwards state.

Fortunately (?), Woo Ragis body, which had finished cutting up Seo Dawon, walked over to me and picked up his head from my hand. Then, as if he were adorning a crown, he fitted his head onto his neck. I couldnt bear to look anymore and lowered my eyes.

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TL: D:

The horror is real yall.