With a loud thud, the trembling barrier was met with a gaze from azure eyes, which also shook from side to side.
The sixth attempt, which was thought to be successful, ended in the worst failure. It wasn't due to a big mistake by Sihyun or a mistake by Hamin. It was because the regularity of the Shadow World suddenly broke.
As they walked, the irregulars appeared in order of rank, and sometimes strange things fell from the sky. When they ascended, the attacks of the irregulars ceased. This had been the pattern so far. There had been no change during the five attempts, so it was natural to think that it would be the same this time, but that thought was a mistake. The sublieutenants surrounded them, and instead of disappearing as they had expected, the shadows lying on the ground suddenly covered Sihyun and Hamin.
It was an unimaginable surprise and a change in pattern. Sihyun managed to block the attacks by using his wits in an unexpected situation, but the problem was only that.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The shadows became sharp spikes and then hammers, mercilessly pounding the barrier surrounding Sihyun and Hamin. The force was so strong that if it hadn't been made stronger, it would have been broken immediately. Trapped within a small barrier that barely seemed to be two square meters in the vast prison of Jeju Island, Sihyun and Hamin stared in horror at the furious shadows. The imminent danger was not something to be taken lightly.
"...It seems like they've suddenly become more aggressive because we've let them go so many times."
Hamin, whose eyes widened at the attacks pouring in from all sides, finally uttered those words. Seeing him trembling in surprise at the sudden attacks, Sihyun had no words to refute him. He was too busy reinforcing the barrier after being taken aback by the unexpected attack. The barrier he had made was solid and firm enough, but it was only a matter of time before it crumbled once a crack appeared, no matter how small it was.
With lips muttering anxiously while harboring unease and restlessness, Sihyun suddenly felt warmth overlapping his right hand, as if his right hand was going to rise. However, Hamin, who was holding Sihyun's hand, stopped him. It tickles. When his left hand moved this time, Hamin, who noticed it, quickly grabbed his other hand.
"What are you doing?"
Even though there was already a threat looming in front of him, Hamin's touching him also irritated Sihyun. When his gaze became fierce, the violet eyes, which he thought would be trembling with anxiety like him, stared at Sihyun quite calmly. He seemed like someone who had already made up his mind about something. Or let it go.
"...What do you want to do if we get out of here?"
He asked calmly, despite restraining Sihyun's hand with an imposing manner. Sihyun, who frowned at his attitude even in this situation, exerted force in the hand held by him.
"We've been stranded here for two days. Stop making ominous remarks and let go of this."
"Even though it's the second day of being stranded, death could be imminent now."
"......"
It was a statement that couldn't be denied. With a quiet addition, all that defined the current situation was that, so Sihyun shut his mouth. As Hamin stared at Sihyun stubbornly, insisting on it, Sihyun finally exerted force to pull his hand away from Hamin's grip.
It felt like he might really die if he spoke here. Is there really any point in setting flags? If I say "I defeated you" and then live, I'll revive, but if I say "My daughter, pretty, isn't she?" and die without seeing that daughter, it's a profound flag. It's the same when you say, "If we get out of here." I don't want to add even a small weight to the unease in this already anxious situation. Sihyun, who bowed his head instead of saying it, exerted force to pull his hand away from Hamin's grip, which was not as tight as before, this time.
His wrist felt sore. It seemed like there might be some marks left.
"Don't talk nonsense and think about getting out of here."
After giving him a cold glance, Hamin, who scrutinized Sihyun's face, chuckled belatedly as he taunted him. Sihyun, who thought it was strange to laugh in this situation, reprimanded him once more. Shaking his head, the boy now only uttered words that seemed somewhat like his usual self.
Thud! Thud!
The sound grew more violent, causing the shoulders of the two boys to twitch simultaneously. The gold of the barrier began to increase, as if urging them not to forget themselves, pouring even fiercer attacks onto the shadows surrounding them. The splitting sound was unsettling, hinting that it would soon collapse. The split gold formed a web-like pattern around the barrier, as if implying its imminent demise.
They needed to think.
The situation was becoming increasingly desperate. There was no time to waste conversing with Hamin, so Sihyun closed his mouth and pondered, emitting a small sigh as something suddenly occurred to him.
The Shadow World reacts to human biological signals. Wasn't it that whenever they were exhausted, they always escaped into the air? Now, the shadows were attacking because they clearly knew he and Hamin were here, but it was different at other times. Realizing this fact, Sihyun focused on a stratagem to escape the situation.
It was possible to block all biological signals or stop them altogether when the barrier collapsed and flee outside. The problem was how to block them and how to get out.
Blocking the senses to paralyze the shadows was impossible. After all, he couldn't be certain if those shadows even had senses. Putting up a barrier around the body had been attempted during a previous escape but had failed. They needed to find another way.
His mind raced faster as the situation intensified. The most certain method was to halt all movement in the body for a moment, just like dying.
"...It might be possible."
Sihyun murmured at the sudden thought. Perhaps it was indeed possible. Whether dying like this or that, wasn't it worth a try? They had a golden window of four minutes after cardiac arrest, and there was nothing as certain as stopping the heart to escape threats. If they thought of the skill duration as one minute and used it, it might work. He needed only one person.
At least that much needed to be saved.
Hadn't they been dragged into various threats because of him?
The barrier began to crumble little by little. There was probably more regret in this life than in the life he had suddenly possessed, unlike Hamin, who had lived here for seventeen years. Sihyun made up his mind and gripped the staff tightly. When the barrier collapsed, he would immediately halt Hamin and cast a barrier as a precaution against any potential threats. They needed to cast simultaneously for a brief moment, but there was no other way.
It was all or nothing, and somehow, he felt he could do it.
People always said one could display superhuman strength before death.
Looking at Hamin, who he had just thought of that way, Sihyun bit his lip. He had considered saying something but withdrew his thoughts. Given Hamin's personality, if he caught on to his intentions, he might not take it quietly.
Bang! Bang!
The violent attacks reached their limit, causing the entire barrier to shake before finally crumbling. Sihyun gripped the staff firmly. It was a moment when mana was swiftly infused.
Whoosh!
It was undoubtedly the most brilliant light Sihyun had ever seen since he was born.
As the barrier collapsed and the shadows rushed in, a violet aura tore through the dark world. With a powerful strike, the shadows scattered in an instant, and just as Sihyun felt as if his throat had been grabbed, his body floated into the air. There was no time to react. It was a moment's impulse.
"This time, I'll yield you the cool role."
The voice was faintly audible. Sihyun, who belatedly grasped the situation, looked towards Hamin. That crazy kid had thrown himself away in an instant. As the only path to survival. None other than himself.
Sihyun screamed, catching the distorted expression on Hamin's face.
"Hamin!"
As he shouted until his throat was raw, the boy smiled, still twisted. A second passed like an eternity, and then the shadows that had been scattered converged and engulfed him.
...
The ground, once filled with noise, fell silent in an instant.
Thank you for reading this far! You can access more chapters from HERE by joining my Patreon community. You'll gain exclusive early access to the COMPLETE NOVEL.
As a member of my Patreon community, here is what you'll get:
For $5
- Early access to 100s of chapters before they go public.
- You also get access to all the novels I'm translating, you can find them here HERE.
- Your name will be featured on the "Wall of Gratitude".
- The power to vote on which novel I translate next.
- You Get Ad-free Chapters.
For $10
- You get to suggest a Novel for me to translate.
- You get access to Digital art.
- Your name featured on the "Wall of Gratitude" (in gold).
For $20
- You get to recommend a Novel and I will immediately start translating it.
- Your name featured on the "Wall of Gratitude" (in blue).
Plus, you can Cancel your membership at any time.
Don't let this amazing opportunity slip through your fingers!
