Chapter 65. Hatching (1)
The Butterfly Seedling was an elemental type monster.
After slowly growing strength in the World Tree’s roots, it would pop out today and cause a mess. I didn’t write a detailed reason, but if over a thousand people suddenly barged into my home, I would be mad as well.
In the original story, Kim Suho, Chae Nayun, and Rachel cooperated to kill the Butterfly Seedling, which would then leave two presents. It would give Rachel a hint for her enlightenment, and the Butterfly Seedling Dust for Kim Suho.
“Come here.”
I glanced behind me constantly, worried that Rachel might run away.
Because we were walking around the World Tree, we only managed to kill four monsters. Split between the two of us, we only received 6 points each. I wouldn’t blame her if she made me faint and took my points.
“….”
Rachel followed me with an unhappy face. I tried to find as many monsters as possible, but there really weren’t many around.
I looked at the time.
[1:13 P.M.]
The problem was that I couldn’t remember when exactly the Butterfly Seedling appeared. Do I have to keep walking around the World Tree until it appears?
“…I think monsters will be on the outskirts of the island.”
In the end, Rachel opened her mouth. She was right. All the cadets were near the outskirts as well.
“No, I don’t think so. “
But I rejected her notion. Rachel pouted, and I continued to walk. Soon, I found Rachel trying to escape to the side path.
“Where are you going?”
“…Just checking if there’s anything nearby.”
After making a dry excuse, she began to follow me again.
Then, after 30 minutes of wandering around the World Tree,…
Wooong—
I finally felt an unusual vibration similar to an earthquake.
I looked towards the direction of the epicenter.
From the World Tree’s giant root, a seedling resembling a butterfly emerged. Chae Nayun and Kim Suho were also nearby.
“Follow me.”
Making a serious face, I guided Rachel.
**
Kim Suho was walking through the forest with Chae Nayun. There wasn’t a big reason behind it, just that Chae Nayun kept getting lost.
“Hey, what do you think about Kim Hajin?”
The forest was still dark. When they were bored, unable to find any monster, Chae Nayun suddenly asked Kim Suho.
“Kim Hajin?”
Kim Suho tilted his head as he stared at Chae Nayun.
“Why? Is he on your mind?”
“No, just that… don’t you think he’s hiding many secrets?”
The Light Sphere, archery duel, and what happened in Paris. Chae Nayun thought there was more to Kim Hajin than meets the eye.
“…I guess you’re right.”
Kim Suho gave a somewhat meaningful reply.
“What is that reaction?”
“What? You said he is hiding secrets, and I answered.”
Kim Suho gave an evasive answer with a smile.
In truth, he was half-sure that Kim Hajin liked Chae Nayun. The conversation he had with him in Paris was definite proof.
“So what is he hiding?”
—I’ve been thinking about her for far longer than you, and I’ve been watching over her all this time. So I know far more about her than you.
How much did someone need to like someone else to say something like that? Kim Suho didn’t know because he didn’t have such a person.
“Hey, tell me.”
“Why ask me? You should find out for yourself.”
With a blooming smile, Kim Suho teased Chae Nayun.
“You…”
At that moment,
Woong—
An unusual vibration rang out.
Kim Suho and Chae Nayun stared at each other. Without having to exchange any words, they both began to run to the source of the vibration.
The epicenter was an open field under the World Tree.
When they arrived, they saw a strange butterfly flying around.
“What’s that?”
It looked like a butterfly. It had wings that flapped, and more importantly, it was flying.
However, its appearance was far from a butterfly.
Its wings were weaved with tree roots, and leaves grew on its face and body. Rather than a living creature, it looked like it was created by a craftsman.
“…It’s an elemental monster.”
Kim Suho was quick to notice. A spiritual existence that absorbed the World Tree’s vitality to form a body. Kim Suho held up his sword, while Chae Nayun pondered whether she should use her sword or bow.
“Is it strong?”
“Looks like it.”
In the end, Chae Nayun chose the sword. Then, the Butterfly Seedling moved. Its chilling eyes peered down at them, causing Kim Suho and Chae Nayun to flinch.
“It looks super strong.”
“….”
Suddenly…
Koooong—!
A large tendril-like root tore through the ground and shot up. Then, several roots followed until the number reached a dozen. Spread out in all directions, they wriggled threateningly, then struck down at Chae Nayun and Kim Suho.
The two of them jumped back, dodging the roots.
Koong— Koong— Koong— Koong—
The roots endlessly shot down.
“Hey! I think we need to cut them off!”
Chae Nayun shouted as she dodged, and Kim Suho nodded. The two of them swung their sword against the flying roots.
Kim Suho’s blade easily severed a root.
But the problem was Chae Nayun. Not only were the giant roots harder than gold, they each carried magic power that strengthened them. For the current Chae Nayun, they were difficult opponents.
When Chae Nayun was struggling, a streak of red shot through the darkness, striking the root Chae Nayun was fighting.
It was a bullet.
There was no physical damage, but fire ignited from the point of contact, burning up the root’s surface. Then, Chae Nayun swung her sword at the weakened root, easily cutting it apart.
Next, a crescent moon-shaped sword qi flew at the Butterfly Seedling’s main body, and the Butterfly Seedling barely dodged it by lowering its flight height.
Chae Nayun turned to the direction of the two attacks.
“Eh?”
The strange combination of an average-looking man and a princess out of a fairy tale was Kim Hajin and Rachel.
Koong!
Soon, more roots shot up from the ground near them. Kim Hajin quickly ran outside their range, while Rachel gracefully dodged the attacking roots.
“When did you guys come?”
“Attack the main body!”
Kim Hajin shouted, hiding behind a bush.
“What?”
“The main body! Not the roots! Use your bow for today!”
“What are you doing hiding back there….”
A root struck down again, whereupon Chae Nayun shouted as she hurriedly blocked them with her sword.
“Hey! Support me like before!”
However, it was Rachel, not Kim Hajin, who sent a blade of wind in support, striking the root and making it fall back. Chae Nayun then made her sword surge with magic power, striking down at the root. With an honest diagonal slash, the root split in half.
“Oho.”
Chae Nayun liked the sensation she got, especially when compared to cutting down a living creature. With this, she felt she could do better…
She tightened her grip.
Magic power surged on her blade, extending the blade to 4 meters. Then, Chae Nayun swung the longsword of magic power with full strength.
**
“Argh.”
Chae Nayun was going wild with her sword when a bow was more suited for the situation.
Without a choice, I fired my gun, hoping to at least slow down the Butterfly Seedling’s movements.
In a single instant, twenty bullets, an entire magazine, shot out. Each time the bullet hit, a part of the Butterfly Seedling’s wings tore off. Although my attacks weren’t powerful enough to detach the wings, the Butterfly Seedling seemingly didn’t like it.
A root shot up from its back, which swept through the surface of the ground and shot towards me. I couldn’t close my eyes, its movement clearly entering my eyes.
Then, the viciously flying root was stopped right in front of me.
A single sword had blocked its advance.
The bearer of the sword was Rachel, who appeared like a Hero.
“….”
Rachel looked back at me silently. I immediately jumped back to a distance out of reach of the root.
At the same time, more roots began to pop up. Although Rachel managed to dodge them with her nimble movements, the roots eventually multiplied until Rachel was completely surrounded.
Eventually, a root struck Rachel’s stomach, sending her flying like a toy hit by a baseball bat. Rachel crashed into a tree some distance away, then fell down.
She coughed up blood. I watched the scene play out objectively and note that it wasn’t a fatal blow thanks to her qi reinforcement. Still, she wasn’t in a good state.
Tong!
When I was wondering whether I should take out the Desert Eagle, Evandel’s Seed jumped out of my pocket. Then, it bounced towards Rachel like a hopping rabbit, then adhered to her wounded stomach. Because Rachel was writhing in pain, she didn’t notice the seed.
I reluctantly let the seed be. Now wasn’t the time to scold it.
“That damned butterfly.”
I glared at the Butterfly Seedling flying about in the distance.
If I could just break those wings, Kim Suho should be able to handle the rest… but I couldn’t just take out my Desert Eagle….
“Huu.”
I had no other choice.
I took in a deep breath, then imbued Stigma’s magic power into the training gun’s magazine, refining the bullets with fire attribute magic power. I could only refine three bullets, and this was with the training gun, not the Desert Eagle.
Were three bullets enough?
That was a worry I could think about after I fired.
Carefully aiming at the Butterfly Seedling, I pulled the trigger.
A bullet flew out, striking the Butterfly Seedling’s wing. Immediately, an explosion erupted.
“…Huh?”
I muttered in a daze. Worried that I was seeing things, I rubbed my eyes and saw again.
“…What?”
I wasn’t going crazy. The Butterfly Seedling lost its wings and was now falling to the ground. Its wings weren’t torn. With a single bullet, the Butterfly Seedling’s wings had completely burned down.
I was confused. My magic power couldn’t possibly have such power.
I observed my surroundings carefully. There had to be a reason unrelated to me….
Sure enough, I could see a woman hiding in the bushes. With an expressionless face, she was holding onto a bead-like object, eyeing the Butterfly Seedling with a greedy look.
It was Seo Ijin.
“Ah.”
It wasn’t my attack that shot down the Butterfly Seedling, but hers. It wasn’t a coincidence. She had made it look like I was the one who shot it down so that she could remain in hiding. Her goal was undoubtedly to take the Butterfly Seedling Dust.
At that moment, Kim Suho charged at the fallen Butterfly Seedling, easily cutting it in half with his sword.
Then, a golden dust suddenly rose up, lighting up the sky like a firework.
However, this wasn’t the Butterfly Seedling Dust.
It was a sleeping powder that Seo Ijin threw out. I blocked my nose and mouth, then looked around. Kim Suho could resist status effects to a certain degree, but he was currently in a daze from the beautiful sight. On the other hand, Chae Nayun was seemingly half-drunk.
Meanwhile, Seo Ijin made her move.
I tried to stop her… but a giant light suddenly erupted, grabbing my attention.
My jaws dropped automatically.
**
Under the golden dust sparkling in the sky, Rachel felt herself becoming drowsy.
She felt sluggish and sleepier than ever before. It seemed it was an elemental’s power.
Knowing that the monster was dealt with, she closed her eyes.
Although she couldn’t believe it, the Butterfly Seedling was blown up by a single bullet from Kim Hajin. Since they killed such a power monster, she felt safe in taking a break.
‘If first place is too much to ask for, please let me take third place at least….’
But suddenly, a giant light pricked at her eyes. The light was so intense that she could feel it even with her eyes closed. As a result, she opened her eyes narrowly.
A golden clump of light was shining on her stomach. The light glimmered brilliantly, then began to form a human shape.
Rachel stared at the light embracing her.
No, it wasn’t a light.
It was a child, perhaps about 3 years old.
For some reason, Rachel felt a familiarity from the child’s face.
Soon, she found out why. The child looked like her younger self.
The girl embracing her gave her warmth. It felt like the injury on her stomach was being healed. Rachel subconsciously stroked the child’s hair, and the child smiled in response. It was a clear, innocent smile.
Rachel smiled back.
However, when the child opened her mouth, Rachel’s face stiffened.
She wanted to ask the child to repeat what she just said. But before she could do so, golden dust fell on her head.
Her mouth refused to move, and the drowsiness she felt became heavier.
She slowly closed her eyes.
The child had said a single word, ‘Mommy’.