Chapter 40 (Continued)

 

A red aura blossomed from Lee Se-Ah’s hand, forming a small analog clock.
It was a shape she crafted with her magic.

 

Hwaaa!

 

Magic power, like flower petals, swirled around Lee Se-Ah, enveloping my junior’s side.
Then, a miracle happened.

 

Like a video playing in reverse, the blood that had spilled onto the ground surged back into the junior’s side.

 

The flesh rejoined, the skin regenerated, and finally, the wound was completely healed.

 

Fwoosh.

 

Only then did Se-Ah’s magic dissipate.

 

“Huh?”

 

Life returned to the junior’s eyes. She looked around in confusion, clearly unaware of what had happened.

 

I was just as dumbfounded.

 

“Tada! Problem solved, just like that!”

 

I felt the strength drain from me, making me want to collapse.

 

“Well, maybe not ‘just like that.’ It is my unique ability.”

 

“What…?”

 

Still in a daze, I stared into Se-Ah’s red eyes.

 

“It’s kind of private, so I can’t tell a stalker like you what it is!”

 

It wasn’t healing magic.

 

What was it?

 

Time reversal?

 

Causality inversion?

 

Was it some impossible ability like that?

 

Or something else entirely?

 

I had just learned that Se-Ah had a unique ability.

 

Se-Ah placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled her usual sly smile.

 

“Senior, your problem is that you try to handle everything on your own. You’ll burn out quickly that way.”

 

“……”

 

I had no strength to respond to Se-Ah’s playful reprimand. Then, she revealed her clear red eyes again.

 

“…Your Disciplinary Committee is doing quite well. Even among my peers taking the evaluation, the committee members were bravely fighting. Maybe it’s the duty of the Disciplinary Committee? Oh, and it’s probably also thanks to you taking down so many of those nasty skeletons?”

 

Se-Ah smiled mischievously.

 

She was trying to reassure me.

 

“Well, our Volunteer Club is also doing its part, you know?”

 

Spreading her hands to either side of her face, Se-Ah spoke in a light-hearted manner.

 

“We’re all about helping those in need!”

 

I could easily imagine the mischievous grins of the Volunteer Club members as they helped students.

 

“…I see.”

 

Whatever the case, there was no time to waste.

 

I confirmed that the junior had regained consciousness and then stood up.

 

“Se-Ah, thank you.”

 

I left it at that for now. I’d properly thank her later.

 

“You’re welcome~. Shall we get going? I think you have someone else to deal with.”

 

“Please take care of this place.”

 

“Sure thing.”

 

With a faint sense of relief, I gave Se-Ah a light high-five and left the area.

 

I enhanced my body to its maximum capacity and dashed towards the center of the barrier, where Han Seo-jin was located.

 

I wanted support from other committee members, but it was difficult with Seo-jin’s minions swarming around.

 

I had to face Seo-jin alone.

 

Finally,

 

I reached an expansive area with ornate structures.

 

Whoosh!!

 

“……!”

 

A mysterious, sharp wave of water surged at me like a blade.

 

Sensing the threat instinctively, I quickly leaped back to avoid the attack.

 

The water fell and seeped into the ground.

 

And ahead,

 

someone stood in front of a structure in the open space, staring straight at me.

 

A skull mask.

 

A black robe.

 

A magic staff.

 

All appearances I had seen in the game.

 

“Han Seo-jin.”

 

I could hear the breath of one of the Six Sinners, Han Seo-jin.

 

“Leader.”

 

A mechanical voice that was neither male nor female.

 

A modulated tone.

 

“You knew from the beginning that I didn’t come to this academy with pure intentions.”

 

…I didn’t know.

 

I only realized it later.

 

Whatever the misunderstanding, it didn’t matter at the moment.

 

“Stop this nonsense immediately.”

 

I suppressed the emotions boiling inside me to avoid getting too excited, but some still seeped into my voice.

 

“Sorry, but I can’t. I have something I must achieve.”

 

I pulled the brim of my cap down to hide the vein throbbing on my forehead.

 

This person was a precious junior I had cared for and seen as a promising member of the committee.

 

That’s why I felt even more furious.

 

“Goddamn bastard…”

 

I swore in a calm tone.

 

I could interrogate Seo-jin later about why she enrolled at Ahsung High School, why she joined the Disciplinary Committee, and why she did all this.

 

For now, I had to focus on ending this situation.

 

Can I capture Han Seo-jin with my abilities?

 

I don’t know.

 

But whether it’s possible or not isn’t important right now.

 

I needed to confront Seo-jin as soon as possible.

 

And I wanted to.

 

“I will execute immediate arrest and punish the offender severely.”

 

Reciting the official line of the Disciplinary Committee according to the school rules, I gathered my magic power and infused the Iron Dragon’s Staff with lightning magic at maximum output.

 

Seo-jin also channeled magic into her staff. The magic stone embedded in the staff glowed with the same purple hue as Seo-jin’s eyes.

 

“A filthy criminal like you deserves even harsher punishment.”

 

My muscles tensed.

 

I gripped the Iron Dragon’s Staff tightly.

 

I bent my knees slightly.

 

Leaned my upper body forward.

 

Whoosh!

 

I charged at Seo-jin with all my might.