"Just me asking," I say tentatively, peeking from behind Rachel's shoulder like a frightened goldfish hiding in a pebble, "if you do unleash that, won’t you be incinerating the whole hospital to the ground?" I eye the dangerously pulsing magic power in the old man's command, a tangible force that could unleash devastation.
"Dungeon Technology," Chae Joochul states self-explanatorily, and though the words are succinct, I catch a glimpse of the vast concept it entails. It's derived from studying dungeons, a technological realm that stretches wide and deep. I begin to comprehend the implications, especially considering the durability of the walls around us. The Chae Hospital, it seems, is fortified to a degree that rivals a nuclear bunker.
"Awesome," I mutter, contemplating the immense power at play. Dungeon Technology is no trifling matter, and the potential consequences loom large. Turning my attention to Rachel, a wave of concern washes over me. "Can you survive that?"
"Of course, I can, but you? I doubt," Rachel responds, her tone carrying a hint of worry.
"Yeah, I am really squishy, I know that," I admit, my vulnerability laid bare. "And that's why my primary tactic is to…" I pause for dramatic effect, a sly grin forming, "RUN!!!"
"Huh?" Rachel responds with evident confusion as I make my move.
I vanish, utilizing my invisibility to its fullest advantage, and decide that discretion is the better part of valor. "Sucks to be you," I muse internally, reveling in the fact that I am now perfectly invisible. My strategy is clear – run from the fight and hope he doesn't catch up.
Chae Joochul, sensing the shift in the battle dynamics, spreads his magic power, attempting to ascertain whether I genuinely fled. "He really… ran," he notes, his expression marked with a frown.
As I revel in my unseen escape, Rachel addresses Chae Joochul with a pragmatic perspective. "You know it is futile, Teacher." She disengages her magic power and control over her elementals. "If Hyon doesn’t want to be killed, he won’t be killed. In fact, he might even still be here, taking joy at the fact you cannot catch him."
I can't help but silently applaud Rachel's unexpected support, but my cover is soon jeopardized. "Oh, come on, Rachel! No snitching!" I protest internally. I am truly yet to run… I am just hiding, that’s all… Though in essence, it is actually just running in the end.
Chae Joochul, seemingly swayed by Rachel's words, taps his cane, vibrating his magic power in an attempt to search for me. I feel the chills, urging myself to maintain my unseen advantage. "Convincing words," he concedes, frustration evident. "I cannot really seem to detect him…"
"Just leave him alone," Rachel demands, her tone carrying a hint of menace as she directs her words at Chae Joochul.
"I cannot leave him alone," Chae Joochul responds stoically, his resolve unwavering. "He is liable for a lot of things for the past year."
Rachel, undeterred, clarifies her target. "I am not talking to you, Teacher. I am talking to you, Hyon." Her gaze turns menacing, a direct confrontation that pierces through the unseen veil of my invisibility. "You won’t even be in this situation if you just left the 'old man' alone." Her stare remains fixed on Joochul, but her words are a direct admonishment to me. "Your gift allows you to be a nobody. The fact that you got recognized is because you wanted to. Making trouble is almost second nature to you, Hyon."
Caught off guard, I can't help but burst into nervous laughter. "I got found out, hahaha," Rachel being so serious is scary…
"Well," I interject, my tone dripping with condescension, "he is a monster… Can’t believe he is actually sponsoring laboratories to do inhuman experimentations on Djinns… just because they are Djinns!"
Chae Joochul, seemingly unfazed, deduces my position and shoots a magic laser from his staff in response. I mockingly point out, "You missed, you mofo Djinn racist! Yeah, you heard me right!"
Unperturbed, Chae Joochul shoots another laser, but once again, he misses. "The Djinns are the enemy; it is that simple," he asserts. "If we can gain a benefit out of them, we’ll squeeze it until there is nothing left. Why? Because they are liabilities."
"I guess you are not hearing me right," I tease, reveling in his consecutive misses. “You can’t touch this!”
Rachel, growing visibly frustrated, implores, "For the love of God, Hyon… Please stop making this difficult. You clearly have an attitude problem… You came here to visit Chae Jinyoon, right? Straighten your priorities."
I scoff at the suggestion, retorting, "Yeah? But the old man can suck my dick."
"Don’t get arrogant. If you are so capable, why not just kill me?" Chae Joochul challenges, his tone firm.
"Simple, because Nayun will be sad," I respond, still maintaining my invisibility. "Moreover, I am still unsure what persists as a canon event or not… For all I know, killing you might trigger a catastrophe, so be thankful I ain’t dropping you dead, old man. I may not be able to devise as many methods to kill a Devil, but with a self-proclaimed Immortal like you, I swear… and mark my words—I will be able to devise more than a hundred ways to kill you, and it will hurt. Emotionally impaired? Fuck that. You are not an immortal. You are just an old man going senile."
Chae Joochul, calculatedly provoking, counters, "Very ironic, especially if it is coming from a guy who won’t dare show himself in front of me. Come on, appear before me."
Rachel, sensing the escalating tension, intervenes. "Enough with the drama, I am calling the referee…" She massages her forehead, exasperation evident in her demeanor.
Chae Nayun suddenly appears, a figure of calm authority in the midst of the escalating tension.
"Gramps, can you please go home for a moment?" she requests.
Chae Joochul remains adamant. "Not until I get that slimy eel."
Chae Nayun attempts to reason with her grandfather. "Trust me, Grandpa… If Hyon doesn’t want to be caught, he won’t be caught. He might just be the most mobile practitioner to ever exist, you know?" She affectionately touches her grandfather's arm. "Leave him to me. You can trust me, right? To this day, I still cannot believe how supportive you are just by learning of my regression, and its connection to Shin Myungchul, but I won’t pry. I only ask you to continue believing in me."
Chae Joochul expresses his skepticism, seemingly stoic, "I am not one for blind faith."
"Hmmm…" Chae Nayun smirks playfully, "No, I don’t think so. It is unexpected, but I think you put quite a lot of trust in Shin Myungchul…" She alludes to the deep connection among the members of the Nine Stars, acknowledging the unspoken camaraderie they share. Shin Myungchul, one of the leading Heroes since Outcall, has been a long-time friend and comrade to Chae Joochul and the other members of the Nine Stars, though they may not openly admit it.
In response to Chae Nayun's words, Chae Joochul vanishes, utilizing his teleportation abilities to disappear from the immediate scene.
Seizing the moment, Chae Nayun addresses me with a menacing tone, "Hyon, appear before me." Her words are laced with an intensity that brooks no disobedience, an indication that despite her playful demeanor moments ago, the situation has taken a serious turn. The unspoken threat in her gaze implies that the time for hiding and evading may be drawing to a close, and… here I am thinking of just bailing out entirely.
"You won’t kill me, right?" I inquire cautiously, detecting a palpable undercurrent of bloodlust from Chae Nayun.
"Please, Hyon, she won’t kill you…" Rachel interjects, her annoyance apparent. "Come on, I’ll protect you."
I decide to unveil myself, removing the effects of my ability, and I'm no longer invisible. "Hello, Nayun-ssi!" I greet, attempting to diffuse the tension with a shiftily charming demeanor, rubbing my hands together like a shady merchant. "You look more beautiful today, even prettier than Rachel!" I start bootlicking, fully aware that I'm exaggerating. On my personal aesthetic scale, Nayun falls below Tomer.
Chae Nayun, however, seems unimpressed. "I sense ill thoughts from you," she declares, crossing her arms. "You know what? You should at least thank Rachel for always babysitting you." Her words carry a blend of incredulity and reproach, looking at me like I am some very fragile cockroach.
"Just me asking," I say tentatively, peeking from behind Rachel's shoulder like a frightened goldfish hiding in a pebble, "if you do unleash that, won’t you be incinerating the whole hospital to the ground?" I eye the dangerously pulsing magic power in the old man's command, a tangible force that could unleash devastation.
"Dungeon Technology," Chae Joochul states self-explanatorily, and though the words are succinct, I catch a glimpse of the vast concept it entails. It's derived from studying dungeons, a technological realm that stretches wide and deep. I begin to comprehend the implications, especially considering the durability of the walls around us. The Chae Hospital, it seems, is fortified to a degree that rivals a nuclear bunker.
"Awesome," I mutter, contemplating the immense power at play. Dungeon Technology is no trifling matter, and the potential consequences loom large. Turning my attention to Rachel, a wave of concern washes over me. "Can you survive that?"
"Of course, I can, but you? I doubt," Rachel responds, her tone carrying a hint of worry.
"Yeah, I am really squishy, I know that," I admit, my vulnerability laid bare. "And that's why my primary tactic is to…" I pause for dramatic effect, a sly grin forming, "RUN!!!"
"Huh?" Rachel responds with evident confusion as I make my move.
I vanish, utilizing my invisibility to its fullest advantage, and decide that discretion is the better part of valor. "Sucks to be you," I muse internally, reveling in the fact that I am now perfectly invisible. My strategy is clear – run from the fight and hope he doesn't catch up.
Chae Joochul, sensing the shift in the battle dynamics, spreads his magic power, attempting to ascertain whether I genuinely fled. "He really… ran," he notes, his expression marked with a frown.
As I revel in my unseen escape, Rachel addresses Chae Joochul with a pragmatic perspective. "You know it is futile, Teacher." She disengages her magic power and control over her elementals. "If Hyon doesn’t want to be killed, he won’t be killed. In fact, he might even still be here, taking joy at the fact you cannot catch him."
I can't help but silently applaud Rachel's unexpected support, but my cover is soon jeopardized. "Oh, come on, Rachel! No snitching!" I protest internally. I am truly yet to run… I am just hiding, that’s all… Though in essence, it is actually just running in the end.
Chae Joochul, seemingly swayed by Rachel's words, taps his cane, vibrating his magic power in an attempt to search for me. I feel the chills, urging myself to maintain my unseen advantage. "Convincing words," he concedes, frustration evident. "I cannot really seem to detect him…"
"Just leave him alone," Rachel demands, her tone carrying a hint of menace as she directs her words at Chae Joochul.
"I cannot leave him alone," Chae Joochul responds stoically, his resolve unwavering. "He is liable for a lot of things for the past year."
Rachel, undeterred, clarifies her target. "I am not talking to you, Teacher. I am talking to you, Hyon." Her gaze turns menacing, a direct confrontation that pierces through the unseen veil of my invisibility. "You won’t even be in this situation if you just left the 'old man' alone." Her stare remains fixed on Joochul, but her words are a direct admonishment to me. "Your gift allows you to be a nobody. The fact that you got recognized is because you wanted to. Making trouble is almost second nature to you, Hyon."
Caught off guard, I can't help but burst into nervous laughter. "I got found out, hahaha," Rachel being so serious is scary…
"Well," I interject, my tone dripping with condescension, "he is a monster… Can’t believe he is actually sponsoring laboratories to do inhuman experimentations on Djinns… just because they are Djinns!"
Chae Joochul, seemingly unfazed, deduces my position and shoots a magic laser from his staff in response. I mockingly point out, "You missed, you mofo Djinn racist! Yeah, you heard me right!"
Unperturbed, Chae Joochul shoots another laser, but once again, he misses. "The Djinns are the enemy; it is that simple," he asserts. "If we can gain a benefit out of them, we’ll squeeze it until there is nothing left. Why? Because they are liabilities."
"I guess you are not hearing me right," I tease, reveling in his consecutive misses. “You can’t touch this!”
Rachel, growing visibly frustrated, implores, "For the love of God, Hyon… Please stop making this difficult. You clearly have an attitude problem… You came here to visit Chae Jinyoon, right? Straighten your priorities."
I scoff at the suggestion, retorting, "Yeah? But the old man can suck my dick."
"Don’t get arrogant. If you are so capable, why not just kill me?" Chae Joochul challenges, his tone firm.
"Simple, because Nayun will be sad," I respond, still maintaining my invisibility. "Moreover, I am still unsure what persists as a canon event or not… For all I know, killing you might trigger a catastrophe, so be thankful I ain’t dropping you dead, old man. I may not be able to devise as many methods to kill a Devil, but with a self-proclaimed Immortal like you, I swear… and mark my words—I will be able to devise more than a hundred ways to kill you, and it will hurt. Emotionally impaired? Fuck that. You are not an immortal. You are just an old man going senile."
Chae Joochul, calculatedly provoking, counters, "Very ironic, especially if it is coming from a guy who won’t dare show himself in front of me. Come on, appear before me."
Rachel, sensing the escalating tension, intervenes. "Enough with the drama, I am calling the referee…" She massages her forehead, exasperation evident in her demeanor.
Chae Nayun suddenly appears, a figure of calm authority in the midst of the escalating tension.
"Gramps, can you please go home for a moment?" she requests.
Chae Joochul remains adamant. "Not until I get that slimy eel."
Chae Nayun attempts to reason with her grandfather. "Trust me, Grandpa… If Hyon doesn’t want to be caught, he won’t be caught. He might just be the most mobile practitioner to ever exist, you know?" She affectionately touches her grandfather's arm. "Leave him to me. You can trust me, right? To this day, I still cannot believe how supportive you are just by learning of my regression, and its connection to Shin Myungchul, but I won’t pry. I only ask you to continue believing in me."
Chae Joochul expresses his skepticism, seemingly stoic, "I am not one for blind faith."
"Hmmm…" Chae Nayun smirks playfully, "No, I don’t think so. It is unexpected, but I think you put quite a lot of trust in Shin Myungchul…" She alludes to the deep connection among the members of the Nine Stars, acknowledging the unspoken camaraderie they share. Shin Myungchul, one of the leading Heroes since Outcall, has been a long-time friend and comrade to Chae Joochul and the other members of the Nine Stars, though they may not openly admit it.
In response to Chae Nayun's words, Chae Joochul vanishes, utilizing his teleportation abilities to disappear from the immediate scene.
Seizing the moment, Chae Nayun addresses me with a menacing tone, "Hyon, appear before me." Her words are laced with an intensity that brooks no disobedience, an indication that despite her playful demeanor moments ago, the situation has taken a serious turn. The unspoken threat in her gaze implies that the time for hiding and evading may be drawing to a close, and… here I am thinking of just bailing out entirely.
"You won’t kill me, right?" I inquire cautiously, detecting a palpable undercurrent of bloodlust from Chae Nayun.
"Please, Hyon, she won’t kill you…" Rachel interjects, her annoyance apparent. "Come on, I’ll protect you."
I decide to unveil myself, removing the effects of my ability, and I'm no longer invisible. "Hello, Nayun-ssi!" I greet, attempting to diffuse the tension with a shiftily charming demeanor, rubbing my hands together like a shady merchant. "You look more beautiful today, even prettier than Rachel!" I start bootlicking, fully aware that I'm exaggerating. On my personal aesthetic scale, Nayun falls below Tomer.
Chae Nayun, however, seems unimpressed. "I sense ill thoughts from you," she declares, crossing her arms. "You know what? You should at least thank Rachel for always babysitting you." Her words carry a blend of incredulity and reproach, looking at me like I am some very fragile cockroach.
