It felt as though I was experiencing all the hardships and trials that people in the world should endure. Even if it was just a mistake in the teleportation process, what did it matter that I ended up in the Shadow World? From Seoul to Jeju Island, I found myself resenting the teleporter that had disappeared for no reason.
The Shadow World.
Since the appearance of the Irregulars, Jeju Island had been completely overrun by the black entities. Every year, hundreds of Awakened individuals perished in this place, surrounded by mysterious black entities from the ground to the sky. Even A-grade abilities found it difficult to escape, and S-rankers couldn't figure out how to navigate the Shadow World, so it was designated as a restricted zone. In this place where Irregulars were constantly being generated, and with each new phase change, even stronger Irregulars emerged, there were only two ways to escape: waiting for external support or finding an exit somewhere in the Shadow World.
Attempting to break through the Irregular horde and find an exit with our abilities would be suicidal. Realizing the urgency of finding a way out of here and hiding in a safe zone as soon as possible, I attacked the grotesque, outer-eyed creatures that were transforming into wolves without using mana, it was futile to suppress them with brute force.
As I tightly grasped the staff, torrents of blue water swept over the shadows. It was futile to kill them because they would just reappear as new Irregulars. Holding dozens of shadows with water, I infused mana into the staff.
Splish, splash.
The blue water began to freeze rapidly. Each time the creatures writhed to prevent themselves from freezing, I exerted force, pressing them into the ground. When I noticed the remaining mana in my body, I sighed at the sudden thought.
"We're in the Shadow World."
"What?"
"I mean, the place we're in is called the Shadow World. We should try to avoid it for now."
Instead of raising his voice, his tone quickened. Hamin, who had furrowed his brows at the mention of the Shadow World, nodded silently. He wielded two swords, slashing through the shadows to clear a path. Stepping on the ground where violet light remained, I followed the path he created with Hamin.
"Is there a place to avoid?"
When Hamin, who seemed to have lost his destination, asked, I increased my speed.
"I feel like I've been to the Shadow World several times."
"Isn't this your first time?"
"Why ask me if you know? I don't know either!"
"Huh."
As we began to flee, the ground trembled as Irregulars pursued us. With Hamin's path also being blocked, the boy swung his violet swords again. Watching the aura sprawling from his blades, I slammed the ground with force.
"Do you still have enough mana? Is it okay to use it like this?"
"I think I have about 40% left. How else are we going to clear the path?"
Temporarily, Hamin clearing the path was the most effective, but it wasn't a long-term solution. However, there seemed to be no other choice. Wondering if I would deplete all my mana if I swept them away with water, I sighed at the sudden thought.
"I don't think Irregulars will appear in the air yet."
"What?"
"Since it's only the second phase, I don't think we need to worry about an aerial battle."
As Hamin asked, I continued my murmuring. With Hamin's question, I finished my deliberation. Focusing on the remaining mana, I estimated. There was slightly less than 30% left, which seemed enough to create a protective barrier without difficulty.
"Follow me from behind!"
Since it was advantageous for me to stand in front to clear the path, I grabbed Hamin's shoulder and pushed him slightly behind me. With that wind, the boy, who almost fell for a moment, scolded me softly, asking me to move gently. Looking at him as if he were a young chick, I focused on mana control. As I intricately adjusted mana into the staff, a platform for stepping up to 10 meters in the air was created.
Glancing back as I quickly stepped on dozens of platforms, Hamin was following. Diligently stepping on the platforms I had made, the boy was climbing up.
Splish, splash.
"Crazy!"
Seeing the platforms that were like falling rocks, Hamin exclaimed with admiration. He asked if I intended to kill him, but I didn't answer. I didn't have the luxury to respond to his unexpected question.
Continuing to create platforms to prevent the path from being cut off, I wiped my sweat. As expected, the Shadow Irregulars couldn't pursue us in the air. While they were making an effort to chase us, their speed in the air wasn't comparable to ours. It seemed that if we continued running without slowing down, we could shake them off.
To extract the maximum efficiency, mana control became more delicate. I was sweating coldly over my white nape, as it was mentally exhausting. Amidst that, I couldn't calm Hamin, who was worried that the platforms might collapse.
He would figure it out on his own. Fixing the staff, he created forty more platforms in an orderly fashion. When he exerted force again, twice as many platforms were created, making it a clear path. When Hamin was gaping at the frightening speed of the platforms, I couldn't respond to his question.
Thanks to the mana potions, at least.
If it hadn't been for the potions the teachers might've provided, this venture wouldn't have lasted long. Suddenly, Sihyun found himself thinking of Haru and Geonu, who also received potions like him. He worried if they were safe.
What if this teleportation error didn't just happen to us?
What if it happened to other kids too?
Will we make it back safely?
Can we even go back?
Worries piled upon worries.
"Hey, can't you focus?"
Sihyun jolted awake at the sudden shout from behind. Turning, he saw Hamin, eyeing the precarious platforms as if they were about to vanish. Sihyun, realizing the gravity of the situation, focused more on maintaining the form of the platforms. The fluctuating platforms stabilized once more, providing a sense of relief.
"Have you been trying to get me killed?"
Even in such circumstances, Hamin's wit didn't falter. Sihyun, who had experienced the horrifying sensation of the shield splitting every time he stepped, responded with a nonchalant shrug. Hamin, picking up on the situation, suggested that Sihyun should stay put. The absence of the pursuing Irregulars gave Sihyun a moment of respite. Hamin, noticing this too, inquired if it was time for him to descend.
"Scared of heights, are you?"
"It's not the heights, but don't you find the platforms you make terrifying? They look like they'll collapse if you sneeze."
Hamin's commentary about the platforms, which split every time Sihyun stepped, made Sihyun consider the situation. He looked down, confirming that no Irregulars were in sight. With a sense of relief, Hamin, seeming more composed, followed Sihyun's lead in descending.
Stepping onto the mushy black ground felt strange. While Sihyun seemed unsettled, Hamin appeared quite at ease. Despite knowing that the platforms wouldn't collapse even after stepping on hundreds, Hamin's reaction suggested otherwise. Inwardly amused, Sihyun pressed the pairing device. A beep followed, but another error code appeared. Hamin, inspecting his own device, faced a similar issue.
"This is ridiculous..."
Hamin, frustrated with the malfunctioning device, couldn't hold back his annoyance this time. Looking even more uneasy due to the unfamiliar situation, he seemed ready to throw the silver ring away. Sihyun, noticing Hamin's increasing agitation, tried to comfort him by patting his shoulder. As they surveyed the surroundings, hoping to stumble upon an exit, the atmosphere remained bleak and uncomfortable.
It would be nice if the sun rose.
With even sunlight veiled by darkness, anxiety heightened. Despite coming for a monthly evaluation, why did they always end up in such situations? It was a moment where one could feel the injustice of the world.
Crack!
With a strange sound, the ground began to tremble again. Hamin, about to sit down out of exhaustion, immediately sprung up. Eyes wide, he looked at Sihyun. Sensing the signal, Sihyun let out a sigh and swung his staff.
Ultimately, within less than ten minutes of landing, they had to ascend once again. After repeated cycles and consuming mana potions, Sihyun concluded on their fourth ascent.
"We shouldn't descend."
"What do you mean?"
"It seems like our location gets exposed whenever we step on the ground. It's better if we stay airborne."
"We can't stay up here forever."
"What can we do about it?"
Stay here.
They had moved to evade the Irregulars and find a safe zone. It was better to stay airborne than risk encountering stronger Irregulars by touching the ground again. It seemed they had barely encountered Irregulars of near junior hazard level just now. If they descended again, they would face dozens of high-risk Irregulars without a chance to escape. Thinking that there might not be enough time to flee mid-air, Sihyun strengthened and enlarged the shield.
The small shield, barely fitting two people's feet, expanded to a size that would not fall even if rolled several times. Hamin's pale face, drenched in sweat from repeatedly risking his life, began to regain color gradually. He attributed it to exhaustion, but to Sihyun, it seemed more like he was terrified of the collapsing platforms.
Thump! Thump!
Sihyun kicked the shield to test its strength. Each time, Hamin beside him flinched. Confident in the shield's durability, Sihyun sat down. Exhausted from running continuously, his feet were sore.
As Sihyun sat down and Hamin followed suit, he lay down, wiping the sweat off his forehead, gazing up at the somber sky. The gloomy sky seemed to further dampen his spirits. Hamin's sarcastic remark adequately expressed his feelings.
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