Deep in the night, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do.
Nam Sion, head of the Yeonseong Nam family, left the main estate with Nam Yuri.
The sedan carrying the two of them headed toward a certain mountain, far from the public eye.
Located there was a research facility accessible only to those who knew the hidden side of the family.
“...”
The sedan drove down the mountain road.
Nam Sion had spent quite some time gazing down at the foot of the mountain, waiting until they were out of range of the detection network, before turning away.
He opened the door to the research facility.
“Come along.”
Nam Sion took the lead.
Nam Yuri followed him in silence.
Then, after looking around the research facility, she casually blurted out,
“Where did those ugly uncles go? It’s strange not seeing them around.”
“I sent them elsewhere for the time being, as they seemed likely to interfere with the experiment.”
“Hmm... I see.”
With the guards who normally protected the research facility gone, it would be easier for her friends to infiltrate later.
Nam Yuri pretended not to know anything, while inwardly welcoming the situation.
But Nam Sion was suspicious by nature.
Feeling that something was amiss, he suddenly stopped walking.
Then he merely turned his head and asked,
“Why are you curious about that?”
“Why? Do I really need a reason? I was just curious, so I asked.”
“...”
Nam Sion glared at her as though interrogating her.
Nam Yuri did not panic.
Concealing her true thoughts, she grinned and met his gaze.
At last—
“Tsk.”
With a brief click of his tongue.
Nam Sion, unwilling to waste any more time, withdrew his gaze.
He began walking again.
“Do not try anything foolish. If you harbor any ulterior motive...”
“You’ll touch my heart? Yes, yes. I know, I know. That’s why I’m following you without a single complaint, head of the family. Ah, perhaps I do have a few complaints. Anyway, how could I possibly harbor an ulterior motive? You’re really stupid, you know. Is it because you’re old? Of course...”
“...”
“If I could harbor one, I’d like to.”
Despite Nam Sion’s warning.
Nam Yuri was not frightened in the slightest.
Instead, she let out a mocking laugh.
“You truly have a problem with that mouth of yours. Must I squeeze your heart to make you come to your senses?”
“Hmm... I’d come to my senses for a little while, I suppose? It feels like absolute crap when it happens. You wouldn’t know, since you’ve never experienced it, right? You’d have to go through it at least once to understand...”
“You wench, how dare you...!”
“Can you do it right now? We’ll be starting the experiment soon.”
“...”
“Ah, as long as you don’t injure my heart, I suppose the experiment could still proceed. But what will you do? If you squeeze my heart, I’m going to bite my tongue down hard. I might even cut it off in a fit of anger, you know? You’re aware, right? Any body part I destroy of my own will won’t regenerate. My hair will grow back if I cut it, but my tongue won’t... What are you going to do?”
“...Cutting it off might not be a bad idea. Without a tongue, you won’t be able to talk. We’ll postpone the experiment.”
“Really? Then shall I actually do it? Shall I cut it right off?”
“Just try it.”
“See? I knew you’d say that. So why provoke me? You should stay quiet when I’m following you without complaint.”
“Shut up and keep following me.”
Nam Sion made his displeasure clear.
Nam Yuri merely shrugged lightly.
After that, the two of them headed toward the heart of the research facility without another word.
At the center was—
“The Black Dragon, Kasus. Capturing it was quite an ordeal.”
“...”
A Rank 5 monster, the Black Dragon Kasus.
Nam Yuri quietly looked up at the creature hanging in midair, barely clinging to life.
“If the experiment succeeds, you will accept the Black Dragon’s genes and be reborn anew. You will take another step toward becoming an outstanding Hunter. The Yeonseong Nam family will bask in glory.”
“It’s a shame it isn’t a Black Flame Dragon.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I can’t even joke around with you, head of the family. This is why old people should just die. Whatever. Let’s proceed with the experiment.”
“...Go stand over there.”
Frowning.
Nam Sion, suppressing his discomfort, pointed toward the area opposite the Black Dragon.
Nam Yuri walked over and, as though accustomed to it, casually stripped off her clothes and put on the equipment laid there.
Her body rose into the air.
“I will now begin the experiment.”
At the vertex of the triangle formed by the Black Dragon and Nam Yuri.
Nam Sion inserted his staff into a groove carved into the floor.
At that moment, red light began from the groove and traced out a magic circle.
Three circular magic circles took shape.
Then a gigantic magic circle encompassing all three was completed.
“May glory be granted to the Yeonseong Nam family.”
“I hope it goes bankrupt, actually. Oh, please, let it go bankrupt!”
* * *
To put it bluntly, it was only natural that I and my friends were currently incapable of defeating Nam Sion, the head of the Yeonseong Nam family.
To make matters worse, the head of the family was holding Nam Yuri’s heart hostage.
If things went badly, he could use the hostage to threaten us.
Therefore, to confront him, we first had to secure Nam Yuri’s heart.
Furthermore—
‘We have to wait for an opportunity to make the head of the family lower his guard.’
There was only one such opportunity.
That was while the experiment was underway.
Nam Sion would be defenseless while concentrating on the experiment.
After putting our heads together and discussing the matter, we had reached that conclusion.
That was why we had willingly sent Nam Yuri to the Yeonseong Nam family, despite knowing her circumstances.
It sounded like an excuse, but—
There had been no other choice.
‘If we had been even a little stronger, we could have found a better solution...’
If that had been the case.
We would never have stood by and watched Nam Yuri sacrifice herself like this.
We had no choice but to feel guilty toward her, and powerless before ourselves.
Even so.
―Why does everyone look so glum? Is it because of me? Are you worried about me? I’m really grateful for your concern! But you don’t have to feel that way because of me. I’m used to it by now, so it doesn’t hurt at all... Aah! What’s wrong? Eunbikkabi, don’t cry!
Nam Yuri had comforted us with an innocent smile.
We had—
Been forgiven.
―You’re doing this for my sake, aren’t you? Don’t feel sorry for no reason.
―...
―I’m really fine. I’m so happy right now, you know? It makes me so happy just to have you care about me. I even feel like I want to do anything for you guys, too. So this much doesn’t bother me at all.
And so, in order to save Nam Yuri.
We intended to hold nothing back.
‘I see it.’
We traveled to Cheongju through a warp gate, then climbed the mountain as stealthily as possible.
Before long, the research facility we had been targeting came into view.
“Senior, Solar and Luna say they don’t smell anyone else nearby. It should be safe to proceed as we are.”
“Same here. I don’t think there’s anyone around.”
“Gyeon-u, me too.”
Ham Minju, Yu Gaeul, and Yeon Bada reported in.
We approached the research facility without stopping.
We climbed over the wall and stepped onto the grounds.
The entrance to the building was electronically locked.
That posed no problem for us.
I called out to Kang Hanbyeol.
“Hanbyeol.”
“Yeah, leave it to me.”
Kang Hanbyeol stepped forward.
He took out an artifact he had borrowed from So Hyeyul beforehand.
It was a mystic phenomenon interferer, a product of science and magic.
In the game—
It was primarily used as a hacking tool.
‘It’s nice having the chairwoman on our side. Now we can borrow it for free without spending a Geumgang Coin.’
Kang Hanbyeol could handle any tool that could be operated by hand like a master.
His Gift, Resonance Hands, applied to the mystic phenomenon interferer as well.
Thanks to that, we hacked the lock on the building entrance without much difficulty and entered.
The same went for the security devices waiting for us inside.
At one point, Yu Gaeul asked,
“Senior, Senior Gyeon-u.”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“What exactly is the relationship between you and Senior Hanbyeol and the chairwoman? It was like this during the Grand Ranking Tournament, too, and now again... I’m curious because the chairwoman is supporting you so actively. Did you perhaps get hold of some weakness of hers? Or is one of you two related to her?”
“...”
“Come on, tell me, Senior Gyeon-u. Or should I say, Gyeon-u oppa?”
Yu Gaeul gently tugged at my collar.
She acted coyly, urging me for an answer.
I let out a faint laugh.
“We did join hands.”
“As I thought... How did that happen?”
“Do you want to know?”
“Yes. Tell me.”
“Ask the chairwoman directly.”
“Geez. Are you really going to be so stingy? You know how much I care about you, Senior.”
“It isn’t my story to tell, but someone else’s. I can’t reveal it carelessly. Sorry.”
Yu Gaeul liked teasing people.
Chances to tease her in return were rare.
Whether she pouted or not, I continued to evade her question until the very end.
Then Yeon Haneul and Yeon Bada stepped in.
“Gaeul? Could you stop bothering Gyeon-u and keep quiet? We’re infiltrating right now.”
“That’s enough. Get away from Gyeon-u.”
“Ahaha... Yes, I suppose I should. I’m sorry, seniors.”
“...”
Under Yeon Haneul and Yeon Bada’s icy gazes.
Yu Gaeul, quick to read the room, tactfully withdrew.
I smiled bitterly.
Not long afterward.
“This place is...”
“...It looks like they make chimeras here.”
“...”
We entered an area lined with enormous test tubes.
Inside the test tubes, lit from within, chimeras that looked as though they had been stitched together from various animals lay hibernating.
Monsters could also be seen here and there.
“...There isn’t the slightest respect for life in this place.”
“Yeah. They’ve defied the laws of nature.”
Nam Yuri had told us about it beforehand, but seeing the scene before us in person felt entirely different.
We could do nothing but sigh.
Lisa, Cha Eunsol, and the others hardened their faces, expressing their disgust.
Just then—
Gurgle, gurgle!
“...”
It seemed some of the chimeras had sensitive senses.
Several chimeras sleeping inside the test tubes opened their eyes.
Our eyes met theirs before we could stop ourselves, and we swallowed hard.
“Let’s pass through quietly.”
The chimeras, wearing respirators, rolled their eyes as they stared at us.
Fortunately, they did not appear inclined to break through the glass and come outside.
I soothed my startled friends and decided that we should leave.
We passed through the door, leaving the test tubes behind.
And so—
“Everyone, suppress your presence.”
We arrived at the heart of the research facility.
We laid eyes on Nam Yuri.
She hung limply in midair, posed as though nailed to a cross.
* * *
According to Nam Yuri’s story.
Her heart had been sealed inside the staff held by Nam Sion.
‘The staff... There it is.’
Hiding behind a pillar with my friends, I surveyed the experimental chamber.
A complex magic circle glowing red had been drawn across the floor.
Nam Yuri floated in midair to the right, while the Rank 5 monster, the Black Dragon, floated to the left.
The staff stood upright on the floor at the point forming an equilateral triangle with Nam Yuri and the Black Dragon.
‘Yuri said that during the experiment, the head of the Yeonseong Nam family would have no choice but to let go of the staff. According to the law of equivalent exchange, Yuri has to exist in a perfect state...’
Just as expected.
Getting hold of the staff would not be particularly difficult.
‘The problem is the head of the Yeonseong Nam family...’
The head of the Yeonseong Nam family.
Uroboros, Nam Sion.
At present, he stood surrounded by spell formations some distance from the staff, with his back turned toward us.
He appeared to be concentrating on the experiment.
‘We can’t just rush out. First, we have to draw the head of the family’s attention away.’
We had only one chance.
Having made my decision, I said,
“I’m going to create two spatial dimensions. One will deceive Uroboros about our position and serve as a decoy for a surprise attack. The other will be used to obtain the staff in the meantime. Lisa, can you do it?”
“Yes, I can do it anytime. But since we’re at it, wouldn’t it be better to create several spatial dimensions for the surprise attack rather than just one?”
“Good idea. That works. I’m counting on you. Hanbyeol and the others, take charge of the surprise attack. Eunsol, Gaeul, Sagun, Geum Eundong, and I will move to seize the staff. Lisa and Eunbi, stay here and intervene in the situation as needed. Haerang, cover the two of them.”
We confirmed the plan with our friends.
Soon afterward, we took action.
Lisa created multiple spatial dimensions.
Yeon Haneul, Yeon Bada, and Min Arin immediately unleashed magic into the spatial dimensions.
Kang Hanbyeol also swung out with a slash.
────!!
The bombardment surged toward Nam Sion.
He had been unaware of our presence and off guard while absorbed in the experiment, so he flinched.
At almost the same time.
I led Cha Eunsol, Yu Gaeul, and the others and threw myself into another spatial dimension.
‘Good.’
Through the spatial dimension, we moved.
The staff was right before my eyes.
Just then—
“...You brats!”
As expected of an opponent who was not to be underestimated, Nam Sion somehow survived the bombardment and tried to seize the staff.
He was faster than us.
His hand touched the staff.
But I did not lose heart.
Lion’s Claw.
I swung the Ultramarine Sword.
And severed the head of the staff clutched in Nam Sion’s hand.
“...!”
A red jewel as large as a human heart, which had been ornamenting the head, fell away.
I swiftly caught the jewel just before it hit the ground, then rushed toward Nam Yuri.
Nam Sion chased after me, but he had no chance.
Kang Hanbyeol and the others, who had already moved through the spatial dimension, seized him.
Moreover, Cha Eunsol, Yu Gaeul, Park Sagun, and the triplets blocked his path.
Thanks to them, I reached Nam Yuri without any interference.
I pressed the red jewel in my hand into her left chest.
And then—
“Thank you! I’ll never forget what I owe you.”
“I’ll repay you for the rest of my life.”
Nam Yuri recovered her heart.
She had been hanging helplessly in the air, but now her violet eyes flashed as she fell downward.
When she landed lightly on the floor, her gray hair streaming behind her—
The girl who had not yet reached 160 centimeters had suddenly grown much taller, radiating a mature beauty.
I Became the Mid-Boss’s Childhood Friend