Chapter 24

Chapter 24

My mouth opened, but I couldn't even scream. At the same time, a cold liquid flowed into my mouth. I swallowed it without knowing what it was, and by the time I realized it was an Elixir, all of it had already gone down my throat.

My mind, which had been hazy as though covered in fog, slowly became clear. Only after the pain eased did I finally understand what was happening. I could feel the life forces around me gradually weakening.

I had clearly drunk an Elixir and my wound had healed, but my insides still hurt. It felt like someone was squeezing my heart, and I couldn't breathe, as if someone were choking me. My lips trembled as I grabbed Han Siwoo's arm.

"S, Siwoo... what do I do...? Because of me...."

Because of me, Oppa and Lee Dohyun ended up like that. What was I supposed to do now?

It felt as though a small shard of glass had entered my body and was tearing through my insides. Even though it hurt this much, even though it was this painful, I had no idea what I was supposed to do.

So instead, I wished Han Siwoo would at least curse at me. Tell me it was because of me. Tell me I ruined everything. Maybe if I heard him blame me like that, I would feel a little better.

"It's okay. It's not your fault."

Why are you smiling while saying that?

Clatter.

With a sharp sound, the hand that had been patting my shoulder a few times slipped to the side, and he collapsed onto the floor. Shards of the broken Elixir bottle scattered around him.

"Han Siwoo...?"

I reached out and shook his body.

There was no response.

What was this? Why was he suddenly like this? As I desperately searched for the reason through my blurred vision, I found a spear stuck in his back. It was the same kind that had pierced me. Red blood spread beneath it.

"Hey.... Don't joke around."

I swallowed my tears and spoke without thinking.

"What the hell are you doing? Why did you make me drink this?!"

What are you planning to do after saving me?

I couldn't understand.

You should've just drunk it yourself. Why did you save me...?

I placed my bloodstained hand over Han Siwoo's body and quietly murmured.

"Healing."

[Skill, 'Healing Lv.1' is being used.]

[The skill has been canceled due to 'Arachne's Domination'.]

What the hell do you want me to do? This is the only thing I know how to do....

Pressing down on his wound as blood continued to pour out, I simply murmured again.

"Healing."

[Skill, 'Healing Lv.1' is being used.]

[The skill has been canceled due to 'Arachne's Domination'.]

If you're going to stop me from using my skill, can't you at least do something about me being able to feel their life force?

I already understand that this is all my fault... can't you stop making me feel so miserable?

"Ha...."

A sound that could have been a sigh, grief, or even mocking laughter kept escaping my mouth.

Where exactly had everything gone wrong?

Coming to school today? Leaving the lecture room? Leaving Kim Taeyoon behind? Handing over the Magic Stone? Trusting the novel too much?

The moment I asked myself that question, countless mistakes filled my mind as if they had been waiting for it. I couldn't even tell whether this was simply my guilt speaking, or if all of it really was my fault.

I just... wanted to survive.

Was that really so wrong?

Screeeeeech!

Between the countless bolts of lightning falling from the sky, Arachne raised her enormous body for the first time. The spiderwebs hanging across the sky reflected the light and shone brilliantly. At the same time, even the cocoons trapped within the webs came clearly into view.

If the world were ending, wouldn't it look something like this?

Until now, I had thought Arachne's skill itself was a disaster. But I had been thinking about disasters the wrong way.

Because what was happening to me right now was the true disaster.

"Ha. Haha...."

Suddenly, laughter escaped me even though it didn't fit the situation at all.

Maybe I had finally gone insane.

Still, it wasn't so bad.

Wouldn't it be better to die laughing than to die while crying miserably?

Arachne launched a spear toward me.

I didn't dodge it.

There was nowhere left to run anyway. Rather than struggling and suffering, maybe it would be better to die cleanly from a single strike.

Just as I sensed my death and gave up on everything,

the old book I had picked up earlier began glowing inside my bag, then slowly floated out and stopped in front of me.

Flutter, flutter.

As the pages turned, a familiar system window appeared above the opened book.

[Forgotten Quest.]

[Would you like to accept the quest? Y/N]

[Quest Acceptance Reward: Survival, (?)]

What is this now...?

My thoughts stopped for a moment.

I couldn't even begin to understand what was happening. I stared blankly ahead, then slowly turned my head after noticing something strange.

My eyes widened.

It... stopped...?

The lightning falling from the sky, Arachne, and even the spear flying straight toward me,

everything had stopped.

Could it be because of this book?

My gaze returned to the quest window floating in front of me.

It couldn't have looked more suspicious.

Was something like this in the novel too?

I couldn't tell.

My memories were too old, and there was a limit to how much I could remember.

As I continued staring at it, red numbers appeared in front of my eyes.

[10]

[9]

Apparently, it wasn't going to give me much time to think.

But was there really anything to think about in the first place?

For someone as desperate as me, even a rotten rope was worth grabbing.

My choice was obvious.

I reached out my hand.

"Yes."

['Forgotten Quest' has been accepted.]

Ding.

[Quest Objective: Hunt the final boss, Arachne, and survive.]

[Failure Penalty: Death]

[Quest Summary: Hunt Arachne. (0/1)]

[Quest Reward: Survival, (?)]

The more I looked at it, the more certain I became that nothing like this had ever appeared in the novel.

But it doesn't matter.

[For the duration of the quest, you will temporarily receive a Balance Adjustment Buff.]

A dazzling light burst from the book and began flowing into my chest.

Warm energy filled my heart, and soon I realized that an unbelievable amount of power was gathering inside my body.

The book disappeared.

At the same moment, everything that had been frozen started moving again.

Whoosh!

The spear that had been suspended in the air shot toward me.

Grab.

I instinctively reached out and caught it.

Screeeech....

Arachne's victorious cry slowly died down.

This is strange.

Just moments ago, that sound had made my entire body tremble.

So why am I not scared now?

I felt like I could defeat Arachne now.

That certainty filled me.

A powerful confidence I had never felt before, along with strength worthy of that confidence, spread from my chest throughout my entire body.

With this power....

The moment I thought that, I shouted.

"Healing!"

[Skill, 'Healing Lv.5' is being used.]

['Arachne's Domination' has been activated.]

...So it still doesn't work?

But that thought only lasted for a moment.

Ding.

[This skill cannot be canceled by 'Arachne's Domination'.]

I stared blankly at the system window floating in front of me.

Something surged up from deep inside me, and my eyes grew hot.

I can save them.

The guilt that had been crushing me ever since everyone was injured finally seemed to loosen its grip.

At the same time, a strange thrill surged through me.

Mana drained from my body, and the light flowing from me began spreading toward the others.

Normally, using a skill on three people at the same time would have placed a heavy burden on me. Yet unlike before, I didn't feel my strength draining away.

I didn't even need to check to understand what had happened.

It wasn't that the skill required less mana.

My total mana had increased.

The voices that had been fading away began to return.

"What...?"

"What happened...?"

Oppa and Lee Dohyun were the first to raise themselves,

and then,

"Ugh...."

Han Siwoo finally opened his eyes.

[Skill, 'Area Healing Lv.1' has been manifested.]

I felt dazed.

It was almost like I was dreaming.

Fwoom!

[Skill, 'Shield Lv.5' is being used.]

Clatter.

The poisonous needle flying toward Oppa struck the Shield and fell to the floor.

So this is what 'Lv.5' means.

Apparently, it wasn't just a meaningless number.

Compared to the Shield at 'Lv.1', even its durability was on a completely different level.

"H, how did this...."

Oppa stared at the Shield surrounding him and muttered in disbelief.

Well, even I, the person who had cast the skill, was completely confused.

How much more shocked would Oppa be?

Relief surged through me when I saw that they were safe, but at the same time, guilt rushed back in.

Even if they were fine now, it didn't erase what had already happened.

My reckless judgment had put everyone in danger.

That was a fact I couldn't deny.

"Everyone... I'm sorry."

Everyone looked toward me.

Maybe it was a strange time to apologize.

Maybe it was something I could have said after everything was over.

Still, I felt like I had to say it now.

If I didn't, I felt like I would keep using "later" as an excuse and never say it at all.

"I'm sorry you almost died because of me. I recklessly brought you all up to the rooftop, acted arrogant because I thought we could win, and in the end, things turned out like this again...."

My words stopped when my throat tightened.

I couldn't bring myself to keep my head raised.

How could I not even apologize properly?

I tightly shut my eyes.

That was when Oppa spoke.

"What the hell are you talking about? Do you think we followed you while knowing we'd die? Did we look that stupid to you?"

Seeing Oppa's stiff expression, I answered hesitantly.

Even though I had expected this, for some reason, I felt like I was going to cry.

"No, that's not what I... meant."

"We made our own choice."

At Han Siwoo's words, I blinked.

Then Oppa relaxed his stiff expression and gave a small laugh.

"Why are you so scared? Maybe you were the one who suggested this in the beginning, but we're standing here right now because we chose to be here. So...."

Oppa summoned his shield, and Han Siwoo and Lee Dohyun took their positions behind him.

They did it naturally, as though what had happened earlier was nothing.

"Just say the word."

I couldn't believe it.

How could they act like this?

You almost died because of me.

Those words rose all the way to my throat.

Screeeeeech!

Rumble. Boom!

The thunder crashing into the ground snapped me out of my daze.

Right.

This wasn't the time to get lost in my emotions.

I temporarily pushed down the nameless feelings screaming inside me, lightly bit my lip, then released it and spoke.

"The method is the same. But it'll be hard to attack secretly like we did earlier, so this time, let's fight it head-on."

"What if we get taken down again?"

Oppa asked.

Before, I would have hesitated.

But now I could answer confidently.

"That won't happen."

Because I won't let it happen.