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𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐𝟓
Click.
As soon as I got on the phone, I asked what was going on without delay.
“What’s the matter?”
『T-That is. . . . . . .』
Cheong Juhwa’s voice was unusually trembling, and she seemed quite anxious.
“. . . Don’t panic and speak calmly.”
『The situation is strange. A few days ago, the family exorcists were wandering around near my house, and now I feel like they’re trying to catch me. . . . . . .』
“Where are you now?”
『First of all, I secretly escaped from home to avoid the place. It’s in the middle of the mountain I was walking on when I was going back to the academy last time.』
“Don’t act rashly for now and just watch the situation there.”
Cheong Do-yool’s group’s movements are faster than I thought. It seemed like they were ready to clash with Cheong So-ha from the beginning.
「. . .𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙙, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨.」
Judging from the general atmosphere, Cheong Do-yool seemed to have linked Cheong Juhwa’s existence, which had been talked about a lot before, to the disappearance of the azure dragon and targeted her.
He was going to use that to suppress the criticism against him and gain an advantage in the confrontation with Cheong So-ha’s group.
「𝘾𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙡𝙮, 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮’𝙨 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙘 𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝘿𝙤-𝙮𝙤𝙤𝙡.」
Although I have some influence, Cheong So-ha, who accepted Cheong Juhwa, is a special case, and most of the other family forces see her as a thorn in their side.
Originally, the deeper the history of a group, the stricter it is about internal discipline and customs, so this is not so strange.
Neutral forces that do not follow either group or have not yet taken a deep stand and are always watching for opportunities.
If they form an atmosphere of agreement with Cheong Do-yool, it will certainly become a difficult situation for Cheong So-ha.
「𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝘿𝙤-𝙮𝙤𝙤𝙡, 𝙝𝙚’𝙨 𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙣𝙩.」
However, unlike the external structure, it is we who actually have the advantage in this fight.
Because the azure dragon that disappeared in anger due to breaking a taboo belongs to none other than Cheong Juhwa.
If that fact is revealed, Cheong Do-yool’s group will not only lose their justification for their actions, but they will also be embroiled in a bigger controversy and suffer a significant blow.
It would also be an opportunity to create a foundation for Cheong Juhwa to operate amidst the negative attention within the family, so it was the best-case scenario for me.
「. . .𝙃𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧, 𝙬𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨.」
It is definitely not the case that the problem will be solved if we reveal that fact right now.
If we do such a thing when the opponent has the upper hand, Cheong Do-yool may even take the risk of a bigger clash and try to take the azure dragon from us.
In other words, the existence of the azure dragon should only be revealed after both sides have clashed to some extent and their strength has been depleted.
Until that decisive moment comes, we must somehow protect Cheong Juhwa from their clutches.
That was my first priority.
I quickly organized my thoughts as I headed to where Cheong Juhwa was.
「𝙎𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝘿𝙤-𝙮𝙤𝙤𝙡’𝙨 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩, 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙚.」
The academy was also under the influence of the Cheong family, so it was impossible to return there before the problem was resolved.
That’s why I planned to first join up with Cheong Juhwa and spend some time with Cheong So-ha’s subordinates for the time being.
However, the opponent is Cheong Do-yool, who is known as one of the two great powers of the Cheong family, and that alone cannot guarantee safety.
So I decided to take out one more insurance.
Ring.
Click.
『Why did you call? Well, I can guess roughly.』
“I need help.”
The target was Cheong Ji-yeon, who was the real power of the Cheongdam 2nd Defense Corps and had the same ability as a 1st-grade exorcist.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
“. . .You’re here.”
As I went to the promised place, Cheong Juhwa, who had been hiding deep in the mountains using a concealment technique, appeared.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine. I’m more worried about my grandmother. I heard that I should hide because there would be no problem. . . . . . .”
I’m sure it will be fine in that regard. Cheong Do-yool, who values his own prestige and the family’s reputation above all else, would not do anything to bother the people around him without justification.
“Even so, I’ll ask Cheong So-ha to protect you just in case.”
“Yes, thank you. But is it really okay for you to help me like this? Something dangerous might happen. . . . . . .”
“My situation is quite complicated too. To begin with, the fact that the two of us caught the azure dragon is one of the causes.”
I can’t get out of this, and even if I could, I wouldn’t be able to accept it.
I glanced around briefly and continued speaking.
“If you wait here, the exorcists sent by Cheong So-ha’s group will come. Let’s join them first.”
“Yes. I think that would be better.”
Cheong Juhwa, who was confident in her own abilities and therefore relaxed in most situations, still couldn’t stand up to the real powerhouses of the prestigious family.
The anxious gaze that had been constantly flickering since earlier proved it.
Whoosh.
“Then I’ll use a concealment technique again.”
“I understand.”
She didn’t show it on her face, but she probably felt a lot of pressure inside.
Numerous exorcists from the family were targeting only her, and in a way, that was natural.
“I think you know this, but the exorcists who have made a name for themselves on the scene, including the elders, are all monsters. You should never confront them head-on.”
Well, that’s certainly true.
I had a few trump cards, but they were only for running away or bluffing, not for taking down an opponent.
I hid with Cheong Juhwa as it was, and first of all, I relaxed her tense state as much as possible.
“Thank you. I feel much better.”
“It’s not something you can experience very often. It’s natural to be confused.”
“. . .You’re saying that, but you look so calm?”
It was a situation that I had already predicted, and it was not something special to me.
The title of 7th place in the PVP ranking of a famous game was a position that always had to accept everyone’s challenges.
Besides, whether they are special-grade exorcists or S-rank yokai, I will have to face them all someday.
It meant that there was no point in being nervous from now on.
「. . . . . . .」
How long had we been holding our breath?
From between the trees in the mountains where there were no birds, someone’s presence began to be felt.
Cheong Juhwa must have sensed it too, and she opened her sleepy eyes and met my gaze.
“Is it someone from our side?”
“Probably.”
We waited for the footsteps to approach without much tension, as it was about the right time.
And just as Cheong Juhwa was about to release her concealment technique, I quickly blocked it when I felt a sense of discomfort.
“Something’s strange.”
“. . .W-Why are you so anxious?”
It was really strange. As I had heard before, Cheong So-ha’s subordinates were supposed to approach this area and send a signal to call us out.
But I don’t feel any such sign from them now.
It’s literally just the movement of someone searching for something.
“It doesn’t seem to be Cheong So-ha’s subordinates.”
“. . .Could they have already been defeated?”
In the worst case, that could be the case.
And as I calmly focused my vision, I was able to spot a pattern on their uniforms.
「𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙗𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙨?」
That means they belong to neither Cheong Do-yool’s group nor Cheong So-ha’s group.
And as far as I know, there are many more groups among the family’s neutral forces that are lending their strength to Cheong Do-yool.
「. . . . . . .」
As I took out a talisman from my bosom, Cheong Juhwa seemed to understand its meaning and sighed deeply.
“H-Honestly, I’m not confident.”
“There’s no one who looks that strong. If we can just get the first shot, we’ll have time to run away.”
However, right after that, someone’s voice came from right behind us.
“. . .Oh, you were here.”
I felt my instincts warning me, and I reflexively turned around and composed the fastest possible technique and shot it at the opponent.
Whoosh.
Twang!
“Hundred Flower Heat Wave.”
But even as I did so, I thought. This is definitely a mistake.
He was almost 2 meters tall and had a huge body to match. However, despite his noticeable physique, I didn’t notice any male presence at all.
Judging by his age, which seemed to be over 40, the opponent’s identity is probably.
「. . .𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙐𝙣-𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙤𝙡, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙-𝙞𝙣-𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙂𝙞-𝙗𝙚𝙤𝙢’𝙨 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥?」
This was a completely unexpected development. Cheong Gi-beom’s group was a group that should be called an independent force, as they were the most independent of the influence of the two major groups among the neutral forces.
Their strength is said to be second only to Cheong So-ha’s group and Cheong Do-yool’s group, and of course, Cheong Un-cheol, the second-in-command there, is also a strong man who is at least at the level of a 1st-grade exorcist.
It meant that he was an opponent that I could never face head-on.
Boom!
“You reacted quite well. But it’s too late.”
In an instant, a collection of spiritual power that had formed above me pressed down on me like a boulder due to the spell that had been cast.
However, I had already decided to attack without hesitation, knowing that it would not work.
Rustle.
Whoosh!
“Shadowless Kick.”
Fwoosh!
I had already extended my shadow with Evolution and moved it, and then used a technique to move my body there.
It was one of the special techniques of Shadowless, which I had used against Shin Do-hoon when he had gone berserk before.
Cheong Un-cheol’s expression changed at the technique that he had never seen anywhere.
“Hoo, you can react to my attack at that age? What is the technique you just used?”
“. . . . . . .”
“I apologize for this. I moved myself because I was a little curious, but honestly, I didn’t think I needed to use my strength against someone like you.”
It was a compliment, but it wasn’t exactly good news. Whatever it was, we were enemies now.
“Sorry. What’s your name?”
“. . .Han Kang-yoon.”
“Hmm, I’ve never heard of you.”
At Cheong Un-cheol’s doubtful response, one of the many exorcists who had approached us spoke up.
“If it’s Han Kang-yoon, he’s someone who is said to be rising through the ranks at the academy recently.”
“Is that so? With that level of skill, you must be at least second in your class,”
“. . .I’m flattered, but I heard that my grades are in the top ten.”
“What?”
It was clear that they were probably Cheong Un-cheol’s subordinates, and it was no exaggeration to say that this was a complete crisis.
「. . .𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙅𝙪𝙝𝙬𝙖’𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙛.」
That’s understandable. She must have realized that the opponent was one of the elders of the family.
It must have been a struggle to even make up her mind to fight.
However, when I looked again, it seemed that wasn’t the only thing.
I hadn’t noticed it before, but a familiar spiritual power aura began to be felt from the ground of this place where we were hiding.
She had prepared a technique in advance in case of this situation.
Immediately after that, I understood the meaning of the silent gaze Cheong Juhwa sent me, and I nodded. And I quickly took something out of my bosom.
It was the item she had given me at the academy before.
It was a talisman made in the style of Cheong Woon, the ancestor of the Cheong family.