Episode 08
Last Words
When his master had first taught him mid-range teleportation, she had warned him with absolute seriousness—
“No matter what happens… never, under any circumstances, change your destination mid-cast.”
If Seongjun had been born in her world— If he had trained magic through real combat—
He would have understood why immediately.
The moment the coordinates shifted, the perfectly aligned spell structure would distort— And the full burden would crash down upon the caster’s mind.
But Seongjun…
Was just a human from Earth.
A world where magic didn’t exist.
And so—
He broke that taboo.
He forcibly altered the destination—
Toward where his master was falling.
And then—
“GHHHAAAAAAAHHH!!!”
A scream tore from his throat.
A pain he had never experienced before— As if his very soul was being shredded apart.
Yet even in that agony—
He reached out.
Desperately.
Toward her.
“Seo… Seongjun…”
“Mas… ter…”
“You damn disobedient brat! What did I tell you?! Never change the coordinates mid-cast!”
“…Do you really think that’s what matters right now?”
Even at death’s door—
She scolded him.
And somehow—
That made him laugh.
With the last of her strength, she looked at him.
“…You broke my seal…”
“I did. Just like you wanted.”
“I never wanted that.”
“If that were true… you wouldn’t have hidden hints all throughout it. Honestly, I almost gave up several times. I even thought… maybe it was impossible.”
He exhaled shakily.
“But… I got here. So it was worth it.”
Slowly, he dispelled the levitation spell—
And landed gently amid the ruins, holding her in his arms.
Around them—
Was nothing but devastation.
A city reduced to ashes.
“The people…?”
“I evacuated them all with wide-range displacement magic.”
“…I figured you would.”
He took her hand.
It felt like dry wood.
Cold.
Fragile.
Tears slipped down his face.
And she smiled faintly.
“Don’t cry.”
“…Do you really think that’s a reasonable request right now?”
“You’re the one who broke an unbreakable seal and made it here. Surely… you can grant your master’s final wish.”
“…Then tell me to break that seal ten more times instead.”
His voice faltered.
His chest tightened.
He couldn’t breathe.
Her trembling hand rose—
And gently wiped his tears.
“Seongjun… my role ends here.”
“No… it doesn’t. You can hold on. You always said it, didn’t you? That a true archmage can defy fate—even mock death! There has to be a way! A spell—something that trades my lifespan for yours—anything—!”
She shook her head.
As if to say—
You already know.
“My path ends here.”
“…”
“All debts must be repaid someday. All deception must one day be revealed.”
Her voice softened.
“And in that final moment… to accept responsibility with dignity—”
“That too… is the duty of a true archmage.”
“…And I am satisfied with my choice.”
Her emotions flowed into him once more.
And this time—
They weren’t sorrowful.
They were… peaceful.
Happy.
“Master…”
“You understand, don’t you?”
She spoke gently.
“My disciple… the one I love most in this world.”
“This master now departs.”
“Do not grieve. Do not suffer.”
“Though I was bound by others’ will all my life…”
“At the end… I fulfilled my own.”
Each word was agony for her.
And yet—
She forced them out.
Burning the last of her life—
To reach him.
At the same time—
A flood of information poured into his mind.
Her final legacy.
“Retrieve my inheritance from the six pioneers who came to Earth.”
“It belongs to you—my rightful successor.”
“Sillamantis is only sealed. It will return.”
“When it does… you must kill it.”
“Do not stop growing stronger.”
“The other Calamities… are just as dangerous.”
“Choose your battles wisely.”
“If you are not ready… run.”
“Find another world. A disciple.”
“Pass everything on.”
“If not you—then your disciple.”
“If not them—then theirs.”
“Someone… must save this universe.”
And finally—
“Trust no one but yourself.”
It was more than a will.
It was a binding.
A mental imprint.
A command engraved into his soul.
Seongjun understood immediately.
And laughed weakly through his tears.
“…You say you trust me, but you’re putting a brainwashing spell on me?”
“You’re a stubborn one. You’d throw your life away for others without hesitation. This is to stop that.”
“I broke your seal, remember? A spell like this is nothing.”
“…I trust you won’t break this one.”
Her eyes slowly closed.
“This… is my final gift.”
Her hand loosened.
“I’m tired… I think I’ll sleep now.”
“…Stay a little longer.”
“…I’m sorry… for leaving you with such a burden.”
“…Then carry it with me…”
“…I’m sorry…”
Her breath trembled.
Faded.
And with the last of her strength—
“I’m glad… I met you… at the end…”
“…Master?”
He knew.
No matter how loudly he called.
No matter how he shook her—
She was gone.
Drip… drip…
Rain began to fall.
A sudden downpour.
Whether it had always been meant to—
Or was simply the aftermath of their battle—
He didn’t know.
Sirens wailed in the distance.
Growing closer.
“…It’s noisy here. And cold.”
He held her tighter.
“I’ll take you somewhere warm, Master.”
With her body in his arms—
He cast another teleport.
Vanishing toward the distant mountains.
* * *
WEEEEOOOO—! WEEEEOOOO—!
Emergency vehicles tore through the storm.
Lights flashing.
Rain pouring.
At the center of the ruined city—
A woman stepped out.
Black raincoat.
White letters on her back:
D.D.A
Division of the Dimensional Agency.
An awakened agent of the Korean government.
She surveyed the battlefield.
Grim.
Focused.
“…So the colossal invader really is gone.”
“Seems so. Witnesses confirm it appeared here… but…”
“It doesn’t just disappear. Someone killed it.”
She crouched.
Touched the melted concrete—
Still steaming under the rain.
“Fire. Ice. Explosions. Unknown biological remains…”
She narrowed her eyes.
“At least twenty awakened individuals fought here.”
She was half right.
There had been twenty.
But not human.
“That’s impossible,” another agent said. “This level of power… only pioneers could produce this.”
“And all six known pioneers are accounted for.”
“…Then that means something else.”
Her voice turned cold.
“Over twenty pioneer-level beings… were here.”
“…That’s insane—”
“The evidence does not lie.”
She stood.
Rain running down her face.
“No human weapon could do this. If it were a nuclear strike, we’d detect radiation.”
She turned.
“Which leaves only one answer.”
“Awakened individuals.”
“…You’re actually going to report that?”
“Yes.”
“…They’ll laugh at you.”
“That’s not my concern.”
She smiled faintly.
“Because you’ll be writing the report.”
“…Wait, what?!”
“While you handle that—”
Her gaze sharpened.
“I have something more urgent.”
She looked toward the ruined skyline.
“The man in the mascot suit who killed the Lotte World invader…”
“And the twenty who fought here—”
“They are connected.”
Rain poured harder.
“Mobilize all DDA agents.”
“We’re hunting him.”
