Chapter 324: Battle for the Perfect Match (2)

Kukukuku!

Theresa’s magical power surged.

The aura was formidable.

Already a powerful figure, Theresa’s strength was even more remarkable now with her magic unsealed.

Gulp!

Jinhyuk swallowed hard.

It took a million coins or an equivalent item to undo a magic seal.

‘Looks like she’s unsealed at least up to the third stage…’

There had to be some major spenders among Theresa’s stream viewers.

Or perhaps Theresa had splurged her own savings to buy an item that would release her powers.

Either way, this was dangerous.

“It’d be wise to stay put. A little resistance, and you might find yourself short an arm or leg on your wedding day. Though, that might have its own charm, I suppose.”

Theresa let out a peculiar laugh.

The casual way she spoke of such violence sent shivers down one’s spine.

Simultaneously.

Kwaaang!

Theresa kicked off the ground, closing the distance in an instant.

Her sword aimed at his left chest—where the ‘Eternal Rose’ resided.

Booom!

‘At this rate, she’s looking to take more than just the rose—she’s about to slice off my entire shoulder.’

Instinctively, Jinhyuk threw himself to the left.

With his abilities sealed, he could only rely upon his reflexes.

But.

Theresa’s left hand moved like lightning.

Just as he nearly escaped her grasping radius, a white arm snatched the lapel of his tuxedo.

“Got. You.”

The corners of Theresa’s mouth curled upward.

“Kkh!”

To think such a delicate arm could exert such terrifying force.

He couldn’t break free.

It seemed his stats, not just his abilities, had been nerfed.

“Here, here. Don’t resist. Honestly, as brides go, I’m quite the catch. Good family, well-liked, beautiful. Plus, life with me would be entertaining every day.”

“All talk. Later, when the corruption wears off, you’ll feel so embarrassed. I highly recommend maintaining a shred of dignity in your character.”

“Hmm. Well, that scaredy-cat might have some night kicking to do, but that’s none of my concern. I’m all for doing first and regretting later.”

Theresa reached out boldly.

But just then.

“You. You-you-you. Your hand! Take that filthy hand off right now!”

The most furious Elise they had ever seen appeared.

Her voice trembled.

Her reddened eyes and stiff, silver hair were striking.

“That power… You. How many stages have you unsealed?”

Theresa’s eyes narrowed sharply.

The ability seal had ten stages.

Elise had sold a divine ring, unsealing up to the third stage.

But the vibe from Elise was far beyond the mere third stage.

“Spent it all.”

-Reward Master: All of it?

-Park Jonghoon: You mean she’s broken all ten stages of the seal?

-ftd: No way, ten stages… That’s over 30 million coins! All spent?

Pandemonium erupted amongst the viewers.

They had to be stunned.

The items for sale during the event were all exorbitantly priced.

Everyone thought their cost was a cheap trick to boost the event’s buzz. Nobody believed anyone would actually buy them.

-npu3: Did she clone coins or what? Does this even make sense? With support from the empire and martial artists, we barely broke the seventh stage.

-liron3333: Wait. It’s not just about unsealing magic, right? Look at that. The map she’s holding. Can you see that?

At someone’s observation, all eyes turned to Elise’s hand.

-Ultimate Warrior: I got it! That item, the most expensive one listed. It’s worth 100 million coins. There’s someone who can buy that?

-cjm1: So… To date Jinhyuk… she torched 100 million? Really?

-FP: According to the sales record, she’s traded it for an ancient relic from the 20th floor? That’s a shield with a defense of 300,000.

-Reality Seeker: The best defensive gear currently up for auction in the Tower of Trials only has a defense of 70,000. Insanity. Pure insanity.

-Chris: The top, the mid, the bottom of the tower—all quaking.

The chat exploded with activity.

‘Did that idiot vampire actually buy a holy relic?’

Elise’s map emitted a faint blue aura.

If a low-grade map could belatedly track the lingering presence of someone…

Then the map Elise bought could pinpoint their real-time location.

Spending such an outrageous amount on a special item available only during the event was incomprehensible.

‘Could he actually like me?’

Jinhyuk cocked his head.

Nah, impossible.

It must be a strong desire for possession and obsession.

After all, the prize included items not even in Elise’s collection.

“Kid, don’t interfere where adults play. Go eat all the dumplings you like somewhere else.”

“Wh-Who are you calling a kid, you foolish saint!”

Elise lost her temper completely at being called a kid.

And the result was…

A disaster that could only be called a catastrophe.

[Elise has invoked the unique Holy Spear ‘Apocalypse Revelation’!]

A red ring appeared behind her.

The doors to the absolute divine weapon of judgment opened.

“Hey… You shouldn’t be using that here…!”

Jinhyuk shouted, but it was too late.

The moisture in the air dried up, and the clouds dissipated.

From the fully bloomed pair of wings, a violent windstorm erupted.

“I can stand everything else… Truly, everything… But…”

Kukukuku!

An overwhelming fury swept through the area.

Everything became bathed in red, and even the viewers couldn’t see what was happening anymore.

“I can’t yield this, no matter what!”

Her resolve was echoed by an equally firm voice.

Theresa, too, drew upon her full powers.

[Theresa has invoked ‘Star’s Blessing’!]

Black starlight enveloped her body.

This was sheer madness.

The tumultuous power of two monsters caused the entire pavilion to shake violently.

Just as Jinhyuk was about to be sucked into the fray.

Swoosh!

He felt a soft touch at his waist.

“Master Jinhyuk!”

Andria, with her nine tails, held onto Jinhyuk firmly.

“Andria?”

“Escape time. Hold on tight!”

Andria, now in her true animal form, unleashed the power of the fox orb.

***

They ended up far from the pavilion.

On the way, they encountered imperial young ladies with predatory eyes and martial artists with a life-or-death resolve.

-Oh, dear. The flower on your chest is so lovely. Shall we go somewhere quiet and private to chat?

-Hehe. You think I would do anything untoward? I’m merely curious about Young Master Kang.

That’s the scary thing about coins.

Even the frail were empowered by items.

If not for Andria’s assistance, he could’ve been in real trouble.

“Pant… Pant… Pant…”

Jinhyuk breathed heavily.

It had been a long while since he’d run purely based on physical stamina.

“Gotcha!”

“Where the hell is he?”

“Why is location tracking magic so darn slow? Aaack! I can’t take this!”

“If only Dad would spend freely just once. If it stays like this, others will snatch him away.”

In the alleys beyond, a cacophony of women’s voices continued to ring out.

If they found him, he wouldn’t be able to save either his rose or his bones.

“Thanks, Andria. You’ve given me a breather.”

“Hehe. I’m praised.”

Andria’s innocent smile shone through.

Good. There should be such pure-hearted folks, too.

Seeing her help without any personal motive made him think for a moment that his life hadn’t been completely off track…

Wait.

But why does it feel like he’s been cornered in a dead-end alley?

With a cheery smile, Andria blocked the only exit.

“Master Jinhyuk. Do you remember that time?”

“Andria…?”

“When you saved me in that mental ward. I truly believed a knight in shining armor had come for me. Up to then, I thought my life was nothing but being offered up or thrown away as waste.”

“Yeah, I’m really thankful you have such good memories of it, but could you move aside?”

“So, this time I decided not to just yield to the older sisters. I want to be a bit greedy too.”

[Andria has invoked Lv11 ‘Gumiho’s Seduction’!]

Nine tails fluttered.

As if looking directly into Medusa’s eyes, all sensation drained from his body.

‘Mental… attack.’

This was bad.

With all defenses and stats blocked, he’d succumb to this…

Jinhyuk contorted his body, struggling.

But no matter how hard he tried, bare-handed, he couldn’t resist the skill.

“Hehe. Even you, Master Jinhyuk, can’t do much under these constraints, can you?”

Andria took deliberate steps forward.

One of her tails grazed his cheek.

Her hand reached for his rose.

‘This is the end,’ he thought.

Thump!

“Ah…?”

A dull thud shook Andria’s frame.

The newcomer who had appeared behind her…

“Master. I apologize for the delay.”

Was Wol-yeong, and…

“Who knows how much more I’ll have to clean up after you.”

Cheon Yu-seong.

“How did you two get here?”

Jinhyuk’s eyes widened.

Cheon Yu-seong glared at Jinhyuk as if repulsed.

“Don’t play dumb. Didn’t you ask our teaching master to let me participate in this battle? By what means did you coerce him to force me here? Speak now!”

Oh dear. Coercion?

That’s a harsh way of putting it.

“I just told him I could hand over the cameras I installed in your room in exchange for using you as a bodyguard.”

Footage included Cheon Yu-seong studying medicine, practicing swordplay, and even sleeping in bear pajamas—all of which he’d promised to hand over.

“You call that an excuse, you damned brat!”

Cheon Yu-seong half-drew his sword in anger.

However, remembering the plea from the Night Emperor, he couldn’t fully unsheathe it.

“Good. That’s right, you’re being sensible. Even someone like you wouldn’t go against your master’s words.”

Sending a message to the Night Emperor immediately after the event started proved fruitful.

With two strong allies by his side, he could manage the middle of the event.

Elise and Theresa, along with anyone else with a tracking item, made staying in one place too risky.

He had to keep moving and buying time.

Just a little longer.

Just a bit more endurance.

Once one more condition was met, he could flip the game in his favor.

That’s when it happened—new footsteps echoed from the alley.