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Fortunately, the place where the Elder appeared wasn't too far. Taking a taxi and getting off nearby, police were evacuating citizens.

I almost got caught up in the evacuation line, but celebrity status helped at times like this. When I said 'You know I'm Baek Seojin, right?!' the police quickly cleared the way. They probably thought I came as support after being nearby.

Later, if this gets publicized, they'll probably get criticized for not doing their job. Hmm. Since I was once a fellow civil servant, let's overlook it with a generous heart. I was the one trying to enter anyway, so it's unfair from their perspective.

More than that, what's this... Kill everyone if you approach? When I reached the wall surrounded by black shadows, such words came into view. When I made a sound, they appeared wriggling like snakes.

There's only one person who handles shadows, an Elder I've met several times. Hyun Sujin. If it's that woman, she's the type to definitely keep the words she spits out.

She probably took measures to prevent external support from coming. If she senses any sign of intrusion, she'll use the shadows. And she'll mercilessly massacre the citizens trapped inside.

'I might be doing something unnecessary.'

That thought suddenly crosses my mind. Then the intense fighting spirit I had until just now quickly fades.

Wouldn't people who could live die because of me? Really, if by any chance someone loses their life because of me. I worried whether I could be free from that guilt.

I looked up at the shadow barrier. Hyun Sujin is inside this. And Irina is there.

But it's strange. Hyun Sujin and Irina don't have any particular connection. As far as I know, Hyun Sujin clearly seemed to avoid Irina. Whether because of compatibility, or because she's someone to avoid for revenge.

Rather, there was another Elder targeting Irina.

'Kwak Hyuk. Spear Ghost.'

Hyun Sujin is a woman with a clear goal. And her goal is revenge. There's absolutely no reason for such Hyun Sujin to suddenly go after Irina alone.

What does this mean? It means someone other than Hyun Sujin is leading this fight. And that person is nine out of ten times Kwak Hyuk. Certain.

'Two Elders and one S-rank. Originally, the S-rank would be in very dangerous situation.'

Fortunately, it's not just any S-rank inside.

The one inside now is a woman that even villains call crazy blonde bitch and get shocked. Fellow ability users also agree with that part a hundred times.

...No, is it really fortunate? Is it really okay because it's Irina?

'Kwak Hyuk and Hyun Sujin aren't stupid idiots, and there's no guarantee only those two came.'

Irina can beat up about one Elder while smiling. Those two Elders know that too. Then there's definitely a hidden card they brought.

What if Irina doesn't notice that card in time? Really, really, if by any chance Irina is defeated and loses her life?

When that thought reached me, all hesitation disappeared.

I have to go in. Go in and help Irina defeat the Elders. They are enemies and Irina is an ally. They are beings that should disappear and Irina is a necessary being. Though she's called crazy yellow bitch, the important thing is not crossing the line.

'Then the remaining problem is one. How exactly do I get past these shadows?'

This damn black barrier is blocking the path.

Right. Blocking. I'm being gatekept again. Does this make sense? I'm supposedly a Silver Gatekeeper. Blocking that gatekeeper?

This isn't right. This crossed the line too much.

I'm the one who blocks. I'm the one who gatekeeps. I have no intention of being blocked again.

I'll break through and conversely block them.

Whatever you want to do, if you want to do it, try passing by once.

Just because it's outside the academy, gatekeeping loses meaning? I'm being gatekept right now, should I just let this slide? Absolutely not. I'll definitely go over and block them in reverse.

- The Third Eye Activated

◎ Silver Gatekeeper 

Trait activation conditions have been met. 

Trait is activating.

Look at this. Even the gatekeeper trait says it can't stand this.

Suddenly feeling strange, I took in the shadow barrier before my eyes. Black masses slowly moving as if alive and on guard.

Someone might see them as ominous things they've never seen, but not me. I've seen them several times before. Even their owner appeared directly.

I remember. Hyun Sujin's movements and the energy flowing from her. If it's the strange behaviors I've shown until now, wouldn't it be possible now too? Since I imitated Kang Minseong's swordsmanship and Kwak Hyuk's spear, couldn't I do this too?

I reached out. I thought this might be pushing it. But my body was already moving instinctively. The hand already thrust out, couldn't be withdrawn.

Sususu—

...Oh. This works.

"That's how I got in."

Yes. That was my story of coming here. Ta-da.

"You're crazy, oppa."

Hearing my words, Irina slightly tilts her head.

"Ah, this 'crazy' doesn't mean mentally crazy but crazy in the sense of amazing, so don't misunderstand."

That's TMI. Don't worry, I understand and move on without explaining everything.

More than that, shouldn't Irina worry about her own situation? Looking closely, her left arm seems completely unable to move. Plus she seems to have other minor injuries with some bleeding...

"Two is possible even if three is too much, right?"

So handle two! Crazy Blonde!

"Haa? What?! Weren't you the prince who came to save a beauty in crisis? Seojin oppa is telling me to handle two instead of you handling two? When one of my arms isn't moving?"

Yeah. I know you're lying. Don't act pitiful. I won't fall for it.

Even if your left arm is out, even if you have various injuries, Irina is still Irina. I guarantee, even like that, she'll fight well against three Elders. And no matter how much I am, two is pushing it. Want to see someone die?

"I'm being generous, Irina."

"Yes?"

"Looking at it, those two men seem to have business with you, Irina."

When I pulled 'or not,' Irina burst into giggles. Then saying that's right, she suddenly rushes toward the Russian man.

"Kehep!"

"This mole bastard. Got stabbed good because you got beaten a bit in Russia before? You're fucking dead today."

Irina roughly dragging the Russian Elder to one side of the city. Then Kwak Hyuk immediately gripped his spear and started chasing after such Irina.

To help a fellow Elder? Really? No way that's it.

From what I see, he seems to be trying to aim for an opening while his colleague gets beaten.

This is why Elder numbers dropped sharply during the great catastrophe period. A gathering of crazy bastards with not even 1% cooperation consciousness. I heard they even caused civil war among themselves, anyway amazing bastards.

'More than that, thank goodness. Fuck, I was really scared.'

I was worried whether Kwak Hyuk might pretend to be crazy and say 'I don't like Irina but I like you even less!' and rush at me. If that really happened, I'd have to worry about my life rather than Irina's.

I made a cool entrance only to immediately get crushed and almost say 'Help me, crazy yellow bitch!'

"Hey."

Looking slightly, Hyun Sujin is glaring at me. Looking at the dark red blood on her lips, she seems to have been quite beaten by Irina.

...Still, compared to Kwak Hyuk or the Russian Elder, it's a bit severe. Did Irina target and beat up only Hyun Sujin?

"Are you, crazy?"

"Since I'm not sane, I came here."

"What are you to come all the way here? If you made even a small mistake, I could have killed all the humans remaining here. Didn't you worry about that at all? With that mindset, you'd pass as an Elder."

"Because I was confident I could enter without being detected. It was the right answer in the end."

Then Hyun Sujin fiercely contorts her eyes.

"What the hell. How did you get through my shadows..."

"I don't know either. I don't know where my limits are anymore either. If there's one thing. Really one certain thing."

I draw my sword. The battle about to unfold will definitely not be easy.

"Something blocking my way. I've been blocked so much. I absolutely, definitely hate being blocked."

"...I don't know what you're suddenly talking about."

Sususu—

Black shadows gather around Hyun Sujin in clusters. Like black fog, and also like black tentacles.

One thing certain is that if I get hit properly once, I'm dead.

"You rejected all the proposals I made when we met before. You're drawing your sword in front of me like this. This means you have no intention of changing your decision anymore and no intention of regretting it. Right?"

"That's right."

"Good, then. Too bad. Since that man was looking for you so much, I was holding back."

My skin stings. Muscles are pulled taut. My heart pounds fiercely. That woman in front of me. No, the killing intent that monster emits was that massive and vicious.

"When you meet that man today, tell him well. I'll kill all the bastards who made you like that."

The moment Hyun Sujin's words ended, shadows flew toward my eyes. Witnessing that scene, I almost instinctively raised my sword diagonally and cut.

Kwajik!—

Fuck. This is a shadow? It feels like cutting a giant wooden log?

There was none of the coziness I felt when crossing the barrier earlier. All those shadows flying toward me clearly harbored explicit killing intent. Just grazing would bring terrible pain. I was certain of that.

One step back, another step further back. It's not something I can endure in place. It's a merciless attack different from Kwak Hyuk's.

If finding momentary gaps and squeezing through them was Kwak Hyuk's breakthrough method. For Hyun Sujin, sweeping away all the shadows flying at once was prioritized.

'So please, Chairman!'

I twisted the sword path. And drew out the wind I'd been diligently preparing. Extremely quiet but the power contained within is never quiet. I'll put that noble path used by heroes of previous generations into this sword path.