The first-year students were meticulously finishing their Persona phenomenon analysis before commencing their strategy, but Ryuderyk's interruption made that impossible.

"Something's coming."

Ryuderyk and Bandiyun, who had already completed their analysis, discreetly stepped back.

‘My analysis rate is around 79%.’

This was an impressive level of analytical skill. If you achieved over 50% analysis, you could receive a “guideline message” for the gate, exponentially increasing the chance of success.

The second-year students who had stepped back kept their eyes on the first-years.

Although most of the analysis was interrupted by the rippling waves of magic, only three elite A-Class students continued their analysis while the others kept watch.

‘And yet Baek Yu-seol...’

Ryuderyk frowned.

‘What is he doing?’

It was unclear if he was even analyzing at all, as he had been staring blankly into space for some time.

"Huh? That... there!"

At that moment, a student shouted, pointing with their wand into the air.

Heeheeheeh...!

A translucent, blue ghost swept across the road and vanished somewhere beyond.

“A ghost...”

“Is it really a ghost hunt theme?”

“Are you kidding me? What do we do now?”

“Get a grip! We learned enough about dealing with ghost-type monsters!”

In magic schools, they covered handling undead creatures like skeletons, zombies, and other necromancer summons extensively, including practical training.

But ghosts, which had no physical form, were almost never practiced with. It was technically unfeasible to simulate them.

Ghost-type monsters were spiritual beings whose origin was still unknown. They were a mage's worst enemy, often requiring precise calculations for counteraction.

In ancient times, exorcists and shamans hunted ghosts, but they disappeared along with the spirits as the modern era saw a decline in such phenomena. Now, if a ghost appeared, it could send an entire city into chaos.

Faced with such a ghost, the students' fear was understandable. Yet, Ryuderyk smirked in the back.

‘Foolish newcomers. That’s not the real danger.’

The students who continued their analysis seemed to realize something, their eyes widening.

“Wait! Hold on. This place's theme isn’t just about ghost hunting...”

A distant fox’s howl echoed.

The students stepped back as one, looking up at the sky.

A pitch-black sky with a massive, silvery full moon shining like a tray. Silhouetted against it, a nine-tailed fox raised its head and howled into the heavens.

“Damn, I thought it was a wolf...”

“It’s worse! It’s a gumiho! Stay sharp!”

“How do we deal with a gumiho?”

“I don’t know, but it’s classified as a magical beast, so strengthen your mental defenses.”

“A gumiho’s howl scatters your mental focus. Concentrate!”

The students who had completed their analysis stood up and cast magic circles into the air. The “guideline message” appeared, revealing the true theme of this place.

[Shadow Cast by the Wind]

[The Wind Empire is woven with countless myths and legends.]

[Some stories are so well-known that everyone knows them.]

[Others, no one has heard of.]

[There is one sad tale here that no one remembers.]

[Please, find this forgotten story and break its curse.]

The students, after hearing the guideline message, looked dumbfounded as they stared blankly at the air.

“A... myth?”

“Yes, a myth.”

For the first time, Hong Bi-yeon interjected into the conversation.

“The entire capital of the Wind Empire has transformed into one giant mythological set. Each area seems to represent a different legend. That building’s rooftop likely represents the legend of the gumiho. We need to split up and find the myths.”

“W-wait. Split up? Isn’t that dangerous?”

“Dangerous? It’s more dangerous to stick together. The longer we stay in this Persona, the worse it is for us mages. Finishing quickly is our only option.”

Ryuderyk nodded in agreement.

“She’s right. The city is vast, and moving together is inefficient. We have 12 people; we should split into three teams of four.”

However, Hong Bi-yeon shook her head.

“No, we’ll split into two teams of five. I’ll go with the commoner.”

“What? Wait! No matter how strong you are, going in pairs is too dangerous.”

“Exactly. We don’t even know the exact objective yet. At least until we understand the true ending, we should stick together...”

When the students protested, Hong Bi-yeon silenced them with a glare. Her red eyes burned with an intensity hotter than the sun but felt colder than ice for some reason.

“Fine, understood.”

“I can’t even tell who the real gumiho is...”

“Shh. It’ll hear you.”

In the end, the students begrudgingly divided into three teams.

“Ryuderyk, I’ll go with Team 1. Where are you going?”

Bandiyun asked, pointing to five students. Ryuderyk glanced at Baek Yu-seol and the others.

“I’ll follow Baek Yu-seol’s team. It makes sense to support the smaller group.”

“Alright then. See you later.”

Hong Bi-yeon shot Ryuderyk a sharp look but didn’t interfere with a senior’s decision. The hierarchy at Stella was strict.

“Are we really going in pairs?”

“Yes. Do you not want to?”

Left behind, Baek Yu-seol glanced at the other students with a slightly worried expression.

He wasn’t uneasy about being in a pair but rather worried about the other students.

“Will they be okay...?”

“Commoner.”

“Huh?”

“They’re not kids. You don’t have to protect them all the time. They’re mages-in-training, just like you.”

“Yeah? I know that...”

Without looking at him, Hong Bi-yeon kept her gaze straight ahead as she walked.

“Those students, we, and I... We’re not people you need to protect. I want you to remember that.”

“Ah... Yeah.”

Her tone was so serious that Baek Yu-seol couldn’t respond with his usual humor.

‘Is something wrong?’

It was hard to read Hong Bi-yeon’s mood. She always seemed perpetually moody, making it impossible to tell what she was thinking.

‘Well, she doesn’t seem upset...’

From observing her over the past six months, Baek Yu-seol thought she seemed oddly in good spirits.

“I’m annoyed.”

Or maybe not.

“What? By what?”

“That senior following us.”

Baek Yu-seol glanced at Ryuderyk, trailing about thirty steps behind.

“He’s a senior and an assistant instructor. We can’t help it. Besides, isn’t it reassuring that he’s guarding our rear? It’s a good thing.”

Ryuderyk, wielding his wand and concealed while watching their surroundings, was undoubtedly dependable, keeping potential threats at bay. But it didn’t seem to comfort Hong Bi-yeon.

“It’s just...”

She hesitated, which was unusual for her, as if she was struggling to say something. But then, suddenly, a chill swept through them, and she halted.

“Wait.”

Baek Yu-seol drew out his Terriphon Sword, emitting a gentle glow that illuminated their surroundings. Hong Bi-yeon conjured a white flame that hovered in the air, only for a blue flame to swallow it and vanish.

“...What’s that?”

Hong Bi-yeon bit her lip as her flame was snuffed out.

“Will-o’-the-wisps. They’re monsters with wills of their own, making them tricky to deal with. We should avoid them.”

She nodded at his advice.

“This way.”

Leaving the main road that cut through the city, they entered an alley. Here, translucent, pumpkin-like objects floated around, casting orange light in all directions.

“Those are...”

“Ignore them. They’re harmless pumpkin ghosts. They won’t attack people.”

Baek Yu-seol took her hand and led her through.

“W-wait... why are we rushing?”

“If a big one shows up, we’re in trouble. Have you heard of the pumpkin-headed killer ghost ‘Wally’?”

“...As a child.”

“He goes for the neck with a scythe. If we get distracted, we could die. It’s better to get out of here quickly.”

He led her urgently, and soon, the alley opened into a shadow-draped slum.

“Let’s plan our next move here.”

Using his monocle, Baek Yu-seol scanned the surroundings, finding no safe-looking path.

“We should wait until the myths shift before moving.”

“Hey, Princess?”

“Yes, I’m listening.”

Had he dragged her too quickly? Hong Bi-yeon was absentmindedly rubbing the wrist he had held.

“Do myths move?”

“It seems that way. They’re shifting without overlapping territories. I don’t know what the target myth is yet, but it won’t be easy to find.”

Baek Yu-seol said casually, squinting as he tried to peer far into the distance. She questioned him.

“...Commoner. Have you been here before?”

“Huh? No. Why would I have?”

“Then how do you know so much?”

“I analyzed it.”

“Right...”

Hong Bi-yeon had done an analysis as well, though it wasn’t as effective as Baek Yu-seol’s.

‘But still, where exactly is it?’

The signal of the

 Spectral Wraith Talisman was constantly detected through his monocle, but pinpointing its exact location remained elusive.

“Let’s move over there. There’s an opening.”

He had long since finished analyzing the Persona and had a good idea of how to clear it. But finding the talisman was his top priority.

‘Without it, I can’t turn Anella human.’

Now that there weren’t many eyes on them, Baek Yu-seol moved swiftly and decisively, using the shortest paths.

He skipped through irrelevant myths and found shortcuts with ease, choosing to avoid facing dangerous legends whenever possible.

“Isn’t this too rushed?”

“Why?”

“You’re not properly checking the stories.”

“This is the Janghwa and Hongryeon myth. Two sisters who died in the pond out of resentment...”

“...Not that.”

Hong Bi-yeon bit her lip, as if forcing herself to say something she didn’t want to.

“Can’t we move a little more slowly and cautiously? It’s okay, isn’t it?”

Her request gave Baek Yu-seol an odd feeling.

Hong Bi-yeon, who usually obsessed over scores and achievements, should have preferred cutting straight through to their goal. Clearing the Persona Gate quickly meant extra points.

For her, the words “slowly” and “cautiously” seemed out of place.

So it raised a question.

“There’s no harm in hurrying. If you trust me, there’s no danger. You know that.”

He no longer intended to hide the knowledge from his monocle from her, as he trusted her fully. If she just followed him, he could give her whatever she wanted.

“...There’s no reason.”

“Huh? Then isn’t it better to be fast?”

“No. You don’t understand anything.”

Her face hardened, unfamiliar in its somberness, leaving Baek Yu-seol speechless.

She seemed deflated, her energy drained. It was entirely different from the confident persona she showed just moments ago, leaving Baek Yu-seol with no choice but to concede.

“Alright. Let’s go slow. Cautiously.”

“Even tap the bridge before crossing and knock on doors if we need to.”

Her look at him was incredulous.

“That’s not necessary.”

But her expression had lightened, with a gentle glow that radiated a clear and warm aura.

It was curious. Once, it had been difficult to read anything behind that mask-like face, but now he found it easy to tell her mood from the air around her.

“Let’s go. Slowly and carefully.”