Chapter 50

Chapter 49

On Sejong Island, a hero going berserk occurs steadily at a rate of one incident per day, but the cases where they turn into demons are not that frequent. However, when a hero does turn into a demon, an emergency alert is issued to all S-class psychics on the island. This is because there's a chance the demon could go berserk and become incredibly powerful.

Of course, S-class heroes don't need to be on standby 24/7, so it usually takes about 10 minutes to arrive at the scene, even with the fastest preparation.

- A hero who can handle the situation is like a fire truck.

They always rush to the scene within the golden time, but sometimes they get blocked by illegally parked cars or people who don't clear the way for the fire truck.

If they miss the golden time and arrive late, the casualties will be greater the longer they are delayed.

Fortunately, our S-class hero arrived just as the demon was about to wreak havoc.

"Kiiik...?"

The giant doppelganger lifted its head toward the sky.

Even though it was early March and the weekend after the opening ceremony, white snow was falling from the sky.

At first, one might think, "Why is it snowing at this time of year?" But with a bit more information, the nature of the snow becomes clear.

It's impossible for snow to fall at this time, especially on an island in the middle of the East Sea.

The snow contains mana.

And there is a 'Snow White' on this island.

"Kyaah!!"

The giant doppelganger roared at the snowflakes.

It tried to create a sonic boom to push away the mana-infused ice crystals with wind pressure, but the ice crystals had already landed on its body.

"Freeze."

A white-haired woman in a black suit, sprinkling white snowflakes, extended her fingers and lightly flicked them.

Crack!

As soon as the ice crystals touched the giant doppelganger, frost began to form on its surface, and its movements gradually slowed.

"Kraa, Kaaah!!"

The doppelganger ran to avoid the snowflakes.

It happened to run toward where I was standing, and I stepped forward in front of Yoon Eun-seon, taking a deep breath.

"It's dangerous!"

"Not at all."

I counted to three in my head, then stepped forward with my left foot and extended my right foot to deliver a side kick to the doppelganger.

Kwaang!!

Like a bat striking, my side kick created wind pressure and halted the doppelganger's charge. The trajectory of the energy wave from my kick hit the doppelganger's chest precisely, and the giant doppelganger fell to its knees.

"Kueh, Kueeh...."

The doppelganger began to spew a purple liquid from its mouth.

The blood, which should have been red, had lost its original color due to the transformation into a demon, and a dark purple liquid flowed out.

Crack.

As more ice crystals landed on the doppelganger, ice began to cover its entire body. Snow White, who had descended from the sky, landed right in front of me.

"Looks like we meet again, goblin."

"Indeed, this must be a very stubborn connection."

Snow White chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. Unlike the times when she was a bit stiff and rigid, she now seemed quite relaxed.

"Is that a new technique?"

"...Hehe, I knew you would recognize it. You have a good eye."

Snow White puffed out her chest with a proud smile.

"It's a technique created by my 'partner.'"

Me?

Is there someone else who gave her a hint about this technique?

When did I become Snow White's partner?

'Is she lost in her own world?'

It's troublesome.

If Snow White were to turn into a demon, it would be very troublesome.

If the protagonist's blackening and the destruction of the world are like a meteor impact, Snow White would lower the global temperature by 18 degrees, bringing on an ice age.

Then humanity would naturally live in an era of icicle punk, not cyberpunk or psychopunk.

"That partner... seems dangerous. Who is it to create such a technique?"

"I'm sorry, but you'll never find them. I'll protect them."

"Is that so? We'll see. I'll watch all those around you."

I stepped forward with my bat.

Now is the perfect time to finish off this demon while it's completely frozen and unable to move.

"Stop."

"Planning to block me?"

Baek Seul-hee, who had approached from behind, stood next to me, emitting a cold aura.

"Someone just like you tried to do the same thing earlier. And that person's chest was pierced by the demon."

I could see Oh Bang Red being treated in the back.

Fortunately, he had missed the vital spots and was barely alive thanks to the healer's recovery superpower, but there was a high probability that the second generation Oh Bang Red would have to take over.

"Don't stop me. I'm right. I need to destroy this thing now."

"Wait a moment."

As Baek Seul-hee moved her hands like a conductor, the ice crystals on the ground rose and formed a snowstorm, heading toward the doppelganger.

Crack.

The doppelganger's entire body froze.

Even the area around the doppelganger was covered in ice, as if it had been placed inside a giant ice sculpture.

It took only 10 seconds.

The doppelganger, perfectly sealed in ice, didn't move at all.

"Quite impressive. Is this just to show off to me?"

"No. I've completely subdued the villain."

Baek Seul-hee pointed at the ice sculpture with a confident face.

"A prison of ice that traps someone for life, 'Stone Ice Jade.' This ice won't melt in sunlight or even under the power of a strong psychic. As long as I'm on Sejong Island."

"Powerful... technique."

If someone is turned into an ice sculpture, they might be trapped in the ice for life unless they find a way to escape.

Who is this ice prison for?

It's probably not for me.

If it were, I would tear out the mana from the point of contact and escape immediately.

It wouldn't even touch me in the first place.

"But it's a shame. I can see its limits."

"What..."

"Is it a target-specific technique? It seems you can only freeze one target, and it has to be someone you clearly recognize."

"..."

I don't know the secret.

"You can't use it as a wide-area technique without specifying a target. It's not useful when you're surrounded by villains and want to freeze everything around you."

However, when the large amount of ice crystals from the sky touched the ground and other people but didn't freeze them, it was clear that this technique, while effective, had a significant drawback.

"Lack of friend-foe recognition. You need to improve, Snow White."

"Keh....!"

Snow White frowned.

"Who are you calling a princess...!"

"And there's one thing you overlooked. The monster isn't completely frozen."

"What do you mean?"

"It's a prison that restrains the entire body to prevent escape, but the mana hasn't penetrated deep into the internal organs."

Inside the ice prison created by Baek Seul-hee.

The doppelganger, seemingly frozen solid, appeared to be completely still.

"The demon isn't just a doppelganger or Yook Gi-bong anymore."

"Then what is it?"

"A demon."

Not a fallen demon.

"It's a demon that ate the corpse of Yook Gi-bong and emerged from inside. There are three seeds, so... probably three will emerge."

Crack, crack, crack.

A strange sound came from the back of the frozen doppelganger.

It was a clear sound, like a rat gnawing on a wall.

"No way... It can't be!"

Snow White quickly raised her hand and poured out ice crystals.

Thick ice crystals piled up in the direction of the sound, but this time, the sound started from the front.

Sssss!

Pulling the diagonal wound up and down, something resembling a human shape emerged and punched the ice.

Crash!

The ice prison shattered like glass, and a new, deformed creature with a body length of 3 meters crawled out.

It looked more like an alien than a demon.

"I knew three would emerge, but it turns out they merged into one."

Flash.

The doppelganger, which looked like an alien, had one head in the center and two more on its shoulders, with eyes similar to a human's.

"You've... never seen anything like this before..."

"Of course not. I haven't either."

It felt like watching a mutated alien life form.

But I'm not worried.

"Watch carefully, hero."

I gripped my bat.

"This is how you kill an enemy in one hit."

Power in my feet.

Mana in my hands.

"Like this."

I ran forward, charging at the deformed demon that was staring at me, moving at the speed of light.

And—

Boom!!!

With all the power in my bat, I swung it horizontally with full force.

"Even if it has three heads, I'll smash all three."

Pwahhh!

"I'll crush it with overwhelming power."

The three heads of the demon, each containing a core, exploded like spores, separating from the neck, and purple blood gushed out from all three heads.

"Listen carefully, hero."

I whispered softly, so only Baek Seul-hee and the stunned Yoon Eun-seon could hear.

"You have to destroy the core of the demon. Remember