'That bastard, what's that?'
KangWoo could see a pink apron beneath the black robe.
The image of an evil demon that had taken hostage a frail girl was destroyed by that pink apron.
'Why is he wearing that?'
His head hurt.
It was as if karma for having used Balzac as a maid was coming back at him.
The plan he was trying to execute in good spirits was ruined by that apron.
He was worried about how Reinald would react.
'Authority of the Vigilant.'
A half-transparent sphere appeared.
He used a sphere that could go through the walls to scout the room Reinald was in.
Reinald was frowning while trembling in anger. He didn't seem to care about the pink apron.
'Haa.'
Judging by Reinald's reaction, it seemed like the situation he had feared didn't happen.
He was hesitating about whether he should tell Gaia about the situation.
It wasn't hard to imagine what decision he'd make.
'If it's Reinald…'
He was probably going to face Balzac alone.
He would gladly jump into a trap if it were to save a little girl's life.
—Because he was someone heroic.
He was a hero that had to protect the weak and save the world.
—Because he was Reinald.
'As expected.'
Being just was something very tiresome.
KangWoo laughed. He raised his head, and Kim ShiHoon's sword was swinging at him.
Clang-!
He countered it with his sword.
A heavy shock spread through his hand.
Kim ShiHoon's physical specs had improved a lot from all of the training he'd done through the past few months.
The sword danced. As if a dragon was twisting his body, a huge sword energy continuously hit KangWoo.
Clang, Clang, Clang-!!
'At this point, I think he's already stronger than Cheon MooJin.'
The apprentice had surpassed the master.
He smiled while looking at Kim ShiHoon swinging his sword.
His feeling that, except for him, Kim ShiHoon was the only player that could face an archduke wasn't wrong.
He'd become scarily strong and was still getting stronger.
'Good.'
He changed his weapon to a spear.
He had started the spar to separate Gaia and Kim ShiHoon from Reinald, but now he couldn't help but wonder about Kim ShiHoon's limits.
'ShiHoon, I need to work harder…'
The sword and spear clashed. The practice room shook while a loud sound echoed out.
Qi that had become physical gathered around Kim ShiHoon's sword. It was an energy called 'Qi Enhancement' in martial arts novels.
An intense heat swept away the surroundings.
KangWoo smiled in satisfaction and summoned up more demonic energy.
'Because you must also do Reinald's part.'
There was a lot of weight on Kim ShiHoon's shoulders.
* * *
Boom-!!
The surface exploded.
A golden light rushed through a giant gorge that looked as if a god had used a hammer to smash the surface.
Reinald…
The hero that had come from another world was rushing with all his might to save the life of a little girl.
BOOM-!
A thick fog rose.
His body began moving at a speed that was near sound and created a sonic boom. The surface split, and his breath became heavier.
But he couldn't stop.
The little girl that had been trapped by the hands of the Demon King…
He was so desperate to save the life of a little girl whose name he didn’t even know.
'I hope I'm not too late!'
He couldn't help but be bothered by the fact he wasn't able to tell the other Guardians about what happened, but there was nothing he could do about it.
The Demon King Balzac was an evil demon who didn't have tears or blood.
If he'd told other Guardians members, he would've probably instantly killed that little girl.
He couldn't let that happen.
"Mr. Tyrion…"
‘Please give me the strength and wisdom to go through this hard situation.’
‘Please save the life of this innocent girl.’
After a short prayer, he reached the place he had seen Balzac at.
"Balzac!"
BOOM-!!
He stopped while screaming loudly.
A hazy smoke soared into the sky.
He could see that Balzac was looking at him while grabbing the girl's neck.
[So you came.]
He laughed at him.
Reinald took out his sword without hesitation.
The sword 'Del Lain,' which shone with a golden light, showed itself.
Golden light spread as if it were exploding from the sword that had received Tyrion’s blessing.
But…
[Why are you standing still? Didn't you draw your sword to kill me?]
"Ugh."
He couldn't get himself to swing the sword.
Reinald glared at Balzac while biting his lip.
He saw the girl that had been trapped by him.
"…"
It was a girl as beautiful as a doll.
She had white skin and black hair, and her eyes shone as if they were jewels.
She looked like a frail girl that would break if you weren't careful enough.
Looking at the girl that Balzac had trapped made him grip the sword even tighter.
"Balzac, do I cry now?"
[Yes.]
There was a short exchange between the girl and Balzac, but it didn't reach Reinald's ears.
"KYAAHH!!"
The girl that had been trapped by the Demon King Balzac screamed.
"Mr. Hero, p-please save me!"
The girl shouted toward Reinald while tears dripped from her eyes.
"Get away from her, Balzac!"
* * *
Reinald shouted in an urgent voice after hearing the girl's shout.
Balzac laughed at him.
[Do you want to save this girl?]
"Get away from her!"
[HAHAHA!! Pathetic! Why are you getting so enraged by the life of a little girl like this?]
"YOU BASTARD!!!"
Reinald's expression distorted. Golden energy exploded, and the surroundings shook.
While he was getting angrier, the girl and Balzac kept secretly talking.
"What should we do now…?"
[Fufu. Now I just have to use my underlings and kill that guy.]
As long as he had a little girl as a hostage, Reinald couldn't easily move.
He just had to make him realize how strong a magician with his safety guaranteed could be.
Balzac bounced his finger.
[Wake up, Army of Death.]
Demonic energy spread from his finger and entered the ground.
Space distorted, and a black fissure appeared.
What emerged from inside there were 12 death knights. The death knights were on top of skeleton horses that were covered with blue flames, and they drew their swords.
[Knights of Death, tear his skin apart and drink his blood. Cut the body of the lowly mortal with your swords.]
His eye sockets shone with a yellow light.
[Kill my enemy.]
Ba-da-dum ba-da-dum-!
The death knights raised their swords and rushed through the canyon toward him.
"HUOOOO!!"
It was the cry of the dead.
The cries of the ghosts that spread pain subconsciously to those that were alive spread through the canyon.
"You bastards."
Even after hearing their wails, Reinald didn’t tremble.
The golden light protected his body and mind.
He prepared his sword.
"I won't forgive you."
The cowardly Demon King that had kidnapped a frail girl and was using her to hide behind…!
He couldn't forgive or make a deal with him.
Reinald swung the sword covered with golden light toward the death knights that were charging in his direction.
Slam-! Boom!
Although it was a clash between swords, the sound that resulted from it was a bit foreign.
The death knights that were covered in demonic energy clashed with Reinald.
While he was fighting fiercely, Balzac cast a magic.
[Hahaha. I never thought that my ill fate with that bothersome guy would continue in another world.]
"I also don't like him."
The girl Reinald was trying to protect while risking his life cast magic while frowning…
But Balzac stopped her.
[Don't hurry things. If that guy feels demonic energy, our plans could get ruined.]
"Balzac, can you defeat that guy alone…?"
[Hahaha. Who do you think I am? I'm the one who made the Ernor Continent tremble in fear and—]
"So can you beat him or not?"
[…]
Balzac's yellow eyes flickered.
[Hngh. It isn't easy to win against him in a frontal battle. After all, that individual is a hero who received Tyrion's blessing.]
But…
A creepy laugh leaked out.
[I also received strength from my master. Right now, I can one-sidedly attack him, so there's no need for you to act.] He said confidently while pouring the magic he'd cast toward Reinald.
Spears of bone pierced the floor and targeted Reinald.
"Ugh!!"
Reinald swung the 'Del Lain' and blocked Balzac's attack but couldn't easily counter.
If he made a mistake, the little girl's life could be in danger.
"Damn…"
The hero's expression darkened.
Balzac kept one-sidedly attacking him.
* * *
'Good.'
A smile appeared on KangWoo's face, who was looking at the battle with his left eye.
Balzac's attacks were one-sidedly hitting Reinald.
As time went on, you could see the tiredness on his face.
'Tsk, pathetic.'
He was expecting it, but he couldn't help but feel that Reinald was too pathetic.
He couldn't do a proper attack for fear of Echidna's life, who was acting as if she were a hostage.
How couldn't he call that pathetic?
'Although it's true that hostages are used for this purpose.'
Armed police also couldn't easily get rid of kidnappers because of that same reason.
But even considering that, he couldn't help but sigh at how Reinald dealt with the situation.
'Is anything going to change if you keep being one-sidedly hit by the enemies?'
He wanted to give him a sermon but couldn't do that.
Whether he was someone just or stupid, what mattered was that everything was going as KangWoo had envisioned.
'Good. Just keep being hit and then die.'
KangWoo was cheering for Balzac.
He was doing better than KangWoo had expected.
Echidna's act of asking for Reinald to save her was also great.
He saw Reinald vomiting blood and collapsing to the ground.
'So it's about to end.'
Judging by Reinald's state, he was starting to see an end to the stupid play.
He even felt anxious while looking at Reinald, who was doing his best while trying to stand up while blood dripped from his body.
'Even if you do that, nothing is going to change.'
KangWoo smirked.
The hero who picked up the sword to protect a little girl… A strong opponent… A hero who had fallen to a trap and was about to die.
It was a situation where the cliche of Awakening could happen, but the world wasn't such an easy place.
'Life isn't easy.'
If you get wounded, you'll become weak. If you become angry, you'll become simpler.
If you drip blood, you'll become slower. The more desperate you are, the worse your movements will become.
Awakening in the worst possible scenario was something that only happened in manhwa or novels.
Reinald collapsed to the ground.
A smile appeared on KangWoo's face.
'So it's over.'
He thought they'd cleanly gotten rid of Reinald.
It was at that moment…
PAAFF-!!
A huge light started to come out of Reinald's body.
"Huh?"
‘What's this?’
KangWoo looked at Reinald in confusion.
Reinald, who had collapsed to the ground, was starting to get up. An explosive amount of golden energy surrounded his body like armor.
His body which had been covered in wounds instantly recovered. All of the death knights attacking him were swept away with just one attack.
'Wait. Fuck.'
He couldn't understand what was going on.
He became uneasy.
'Wait. Did he really Awaken?'
It seemed like the cliche he'd brushed off while laughing at for being too unrealistic was happening.
KangWoo covered his face with both hands as if his head hurt.
It was as if the picture he had in his head was being torn apart.
"How fucking…"
‘Easy and comfortable is your life?’
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