Chapter 39
Bing Seol Hwa focused on the faint source of magical power.
It was coming from that direction. She could feel a magical power similar to the space manipulation ability emanating from there.
Even though the power was faint, likely due to some concealment technique… it meant little to Bing Seol Hwa, who could easily pierce through such concealment.
Bing Seol Hwa used her cold magical power to reveal the hidden presence.
What emerged was a massive white horse with a horn, standing over 5 meters tall.
[So, you’ve come to capture me?]
The Unicorn asked. Only then did Bing Seol Hwa realize that the true mastermind behind this incident wasn’t the Black Knight but the monster before her.
Swish, magical power flowed. Blades of ice materialized in the air, floating around her.
[We could at least have a conversation.]
Bing Seol Hwa launched the blades without a word.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The ice blades made cold metallic sounds before dropping to the ground. The Unicorn simply chuckled.
[Not as impressive as I thought.]
Bing Seol Hwa observed her opponent quietly. Her blades hadn’t reached their target. It seemed to be some sort of protective barrier spell.
…A monster using magic. While many monsters used their unique abilities, those that wielded full-fledged magic were rare.
Bing Seol Hwa began to prepare her next spell. If the barrier was the problem, then she would simply blast through it.
A giant ice meteor descended.
It was the kind of meteor the Black Knight might have easily cleaved apart, but the Unicorn lacked the ability to deal with such a massive object in one strike. Thus, the Unicorn conjured a massive fireball to counter the meteor with raw firepower.
BOOM!
The collision between fire and ice caused a massive explosion. In that moment, the ice meteor shattered into countless ice shards.
Those shards transformed into tiny blades, cutting into the Unicorn’s body as its barrier dissipated.
[No way?!]
The Unicorn couldn’t hide its surprise. It hadn’t expected its barrier to be penetrated, even slightly. The realization struck that Bing Seol Hwa’s combat power might be stronger than initially thought.
At this rate, even if it managed to win, the damage would be significant.
The Unicorn began to contemplate retreat. The mere possibility of dying was enough of a problem, regardless of the odds of winning.
But Bing Seol Hwa showed no mercy as she pressed her attack against the retreating Unicorn.
Suddenly, an opening appeared. It was the gap created when the Unicorn realized it might die or suffer severe damage. Bing Seol Hwa did not hesitate to exploit that weakness.
The Unicorn gritted its teeth. Should it retreat or fight back? Its mind grew increasingly chaotic.
Then, Bing Seol Hwa spoke.
“Ice World.”
Crack.
The world froze over. A bitter cold wind swept across the monster’s body. Just maintaining protection against the cold drained magical power. Only then did the Unicorn realize that Bing Seol Hwa had erected an inescapable barrier.
With that, there was no more hesitation. It was kill or be killed. Bing Seol Hwa suddenly realized that as soon as she trapped her enemy in the barrier, its uncertainty and hesitation had vanished.
The moment she thought, ‘Ah, I’ve got it—’ the Unicorn’s magical power pierced through the spot she had just occupied.
[You’re quite fast.]
Bing Seol Hwa gritted her teeth. The Ice World enhanced her attacks. So, within this space, she believed she could at least stand evenly against her foe.
She gathered her magical power and swung a massive ice blade toward the enemy.
And it happened so naturally—the blade was sent right back toward Bing Seol Hwa.
“What…?”
She barely evaded it. If she hadn’t canceled her own spell just before it struck, she would have been killed by her own attack. Bing Seol Hwa looked at the Unicorn in bewilderment.
[What’s the matter? Keep attacking. Weren’t you so confident?]
Why? The question filled Bing Seol Hwa’s mind. Why had her attack been reflected? What kind of trick—Ah. Only then did Bing Seol Hwa understand what the opponent’s ability was.
And the Unicorn didn’t wait for her to process it.
Thud!
The Unicorn’s foreleg lashed out, kicking her away.
“Ugh!”
The impact was severe. She shouldn’t have been within range of the Unicorn’s kick, so why had she been sent flying by it—It was all too obvious.
“You control… space.”
That’s right. The Unicorn’s power was none other than space manipulation. It had reflected Bing Seol Hwa’s attack and teleported her directly in front of its foreleg to land the strike.
Of course, there had to be limits. There would certainly be a range restriction. However, the problem was that they were inside the Ice World. Within this barrier, it was clear that the Unicorn had the freedom to use its powers without constraint.
[That’s right, your attacks have no effect on me. They simply get reflected back. But you can’t even dodge them. My range is virtually limitless within this space.]
A mistake. Even now, Bing Seol Hwa’s magical power was rapidly draining to maintain the Ice World, which only benefited the enemy. …The real problem, however, was that Ice World wasn’t a technique she could dispel at will.
It was a technique designed to be inescapable because it couldn’t be canceled as long as she remained conscious. In other words, unless the Unicorn fell first or her magical power was completely depleted, she couldn’t release this Ice World. Neither option was acceptable.
That meant there was only one course of action. Before her power ran out, she had to unleash a relentless assault. Even the ability to manipulate space must have its limits. Each activation would surely drain a large amount of magical power. So, if she kept attacking—
…Her chances were slim. But she had no choice. Bing Seol Hwa summoned her power.
[Oh, you’re going to keep going?]
The outcome was already tilted in the Unicorn’s favor. But Bing Seol Hwa refused to give up and kept channeling her magic into attacks.
And the Unicorn reflected each one.
“Ugh!”
Deflecting or avoiding the reflected attacks was entirely up to Bing Seol Hwa. As a result, more and more cuts and bruises appeared on her arms and legs.
Yet she persisted, attacking again. The Unicorn was puzzled. Why was she pushing herself so hard? Didn’t she realize she could die?
In its confusion, the Unicorn spoke.
[Do you want to die? If you give up now, I’ll make it quick.]
Bing Seol Hwa responded with a cold smile.
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
What had she been fighting for all this time? She had fought for the one who might be watching from somewhere. She had worked to become the brightest star in his eyes.
And then, she met him.
Even though he had expressed hatred toward her, even though he had become the manager of another girl, none of that mattered. As long as she could be a shining star to him.
That’s why, losing was never an option she considered.
Bing Seol Hwa stopped her attacks. The Unicorn looked at her in surprise as the magical girl suddenly ceased her assault. Then, she closed her eyes, took a breath, and gathered a massive amount of magical power.
[You.]
She was gathering every last bit of her remaining power. There was no escaping such an attack. It was essentially a self-destruction move. She was ready to face death, determined not to lose without at least dealing some damage. Even if he could control space, within the confines of the barrier, he would inevitably be caught in the blast.
Only then did Bing Seol Hwa smile.
Yes, this choice isn’t wrong. She didn’t want to be seen losing to a monster. Even if he hated her, she at least wanted to be a reliable, shining star in his eyes. That’s why, she didn’t want to fall.
But… the thought of never seeing his face again was a little sad.
And at that moment. With a shattering sound—Ice World broke apart.
“What, what’s going on?”
[What?!]
The conditions for Ice World’s destruction were Bing Seol Hwa losing consciousness, her power depleting, or—taking an impact from the outside.
‘It’ shattered the barrier Bing Seol Hwa had created as if it were the most natural thing in the world. With a crack, the frozen world shattered, and a pitch-black shadow stepped inside.
Bing Seol Hwa recognized that figure instantly. She looked at the intruder with shocked eyes.
That armor. That sword. It was a presence she had seen and experienced firsthand.
It seemed to have no interest in the Unicorn as it turned a cold gaze toward Bing Seol Hwa.
She spoke.
“Why…?”
And it ignored her question and spoke.
[You really don’t listen, do you?]
A cold voice. A voice she was already familiar with.
The Black Knight stood before them.
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