Chapter 265

Words : 1617 Updated : Oct 9th, 2025

Chapter 265 Sitting on a bench in Tokyo's Void Space Terminal, the central hub connecting all regions of Japan, Se-Hoon scanned his bustling surroundings. Hmmm... there’s quite a lot of them. While there were plenty of ordinary citizens, an alarming number of disguised guards were also hidden among the crowd. From what he could tell, a hundred were scattered throughout—disguised as couples eating meals, families sitting together, elderly couples asking for directions, and the young men helping them. And that wasn't all of them; more were blended seamlessly into the background, concealing themselves so perfectly that Se-Hoon couldn’t help but raise an intrigued eyebrow. They’re not just positioned anywhere.... Did they set themselves up like this with potential threats in mind? From their positions, they could immediately bombard any intruders they spotted. They even continuously adjusted their formation, ensuring the enemy wouldn’t notice. Looks like the guards are all from the Inoues... but I don't see the one I’m supposed to meet. It was 10:55 am, still five minutes before the agreed time, but Se-Hoon found it odd. He didn’t meet up with Erika often, but he knew she usually arrived early and waited. Something feels off... maybe I should ask Amir or Seon-Woo. Mulling over it, Se-Hoon suddenly sensed something and looked up. “Hello.” Surprised by Erika’s sudden appearance and greeting with her usual calmness, Se-Hoon gave her a strange look. Like before, there was an obsessiveness with the way she always showed up out of nowhere. “Do you actually find it enjoyable to show up like this always?” “Yes, I do.” It was a matter-of-fact response. She was still as unchanged as ever—at the realization, Se-Hoon couldn’t help but chuckle as he stood up. “I see that you’ve been well.” “More or less. How about you?” “I’ve had my share of troubles. Haven’t you seen the news?” “I have.” Erika stared at him intently. “But I didn’t pay it much mind. It didn’t seem to be an accurate report anyway.” It seemed she hadn’t been convinced by the official story that he had barely survived thanks to Wurgen’s help. And upon seeing the look in her eyes, Se-Hoon understood she wasn’t just skeptical but absolutely certain. However, Se-Hoon just shrugged. “Think whatever you want.” “I will. Let’s go, now.” Not probing further, Erika turned and started walking, leading the way. As they moved, the hidden guards started shedding their disguises, revealing themselves and causing a stir in the crowd. “Whoa... look over there.” “We should move aside.” Recognizing the emblem—the Inoue family’s raven—embroidered on the left shoulder, many quickly stepped aside, opening a clear path toward the terminal’s exit. The scene seemed so rehearsed that Se-Hoon found the whole thing amusing. It’s surprising to see that they have the same amount of influence as before. Some had stepped back purely due to the tension in the air, but most recognized the emblem and moved away purposefully. And just that gave Se-Hoon a vivid sense of the Inoue family’s standing in Japan. Observing the reactions of the crowd, Se-Hoon eventually stepped outside with Erika. “Get in.” Prompted by Erika, Se-Hoon entered a limousine among the line of cars waiting outside the terminal for them. Vroom- Once they both entered, the limousine smoothly pulled away, followed by escort vehicles that formed a protective barrier around them. Their convoy occupied a large portion of the road, forcing others to clear out of the way. However, rather than being annoyed, the other vehicles seemed to be in a hurry to avoid them. And upon seeing through the drivers' windows, Se-Hoon quickly understood why. They’re all afraid of getting caught in something. Given the rising conflict between the Demon Force and the Heroes Association, no one could say for certain they knew what would happen next. Therefore the Inoue family, rather than choosing to stay hidden and risk an attack, had openly revealed their presence. And naturally, the public, realizing the implication, wisely kept their distance. Even the traffic lights seem timed perfectly.... They must have the whole system in their hands. Despite being in the middle of central Tokyo, the limousine moved without any obstacles, and in no time, they had left. Quietly amused, Se-Hoon was enjoying the smooth ride when Erika spoke up from across him. “Don’t I look any different?” At the sudden question, Se-Hoon examined her closely. She still had the same long hair, the same violet eyes that seemed to shimmer quietly, the same pale skin, and she still wore dresses that exuded the aura of a rich, young lady. In summary, her appearance was the same as before summer break. Determining that, Se-Hoon briefly wondered what Erika could be talking about. “You’ve gotten slightly taller. Maybe by 0.3 cm?” “Anything else?” The barrier was designed to make him walk in circles. The more wrong paths he chose, the more options there would be. It was likely retracing his steps wouldn’t reduce the number of paths either. “Hmm.” Se-Hoon thought about the intricate barrier for a moment. And then, his eyes glinted as he examined his surroundings. “This is easier than I thought.” *** Having trapped Se-Hoon within the barrier, Erika entered a hidden control room within the exhibition hall where a massive, hexagonal stone pillar stood. Wooom. Though only two meters of it were visible, the pillar extended hundreds of meters below. The magical artifact—the Earth Pillar—was connected to the Earth’s ley lines deep below, drawing power from them. The output is... okay. She had been worried it wouldn’t have been enough, but with the exhibition hall’s magical artifacts, she’d successfully deployed the barrier. Confirming its state, Erika placed her hand on the Earth Pillar and observed Se-Hoon. Let’s see how far he can go. Officially, the museum was to display the Inoue family’s collection of magical artifacts, but it was actually a stronghold for emergencies. Unlike a real museum, it was equipped with a wide variety of facilities, all of which were in use to trap Se-Hoon. If he’s the same as before break... he shouldn't be able to escape. The barrier was imbued with the synesthetic mindscape within the Inoue family’s traditional spell, passed down through generations. Unless Se-Hoon fully understood the spell formula Erika had given him during a previous visit, he wouldn’t escape. “...” Erika’s expression became complicated. Up until the car ride, she had expected that he would be able to escape from the maze, but her faith wavered when he failed to notice the changes in her appearance. Is he hitting his limit... or was his talent for magic just never that strong? If he couldn’t break free, she would have no choice but to shelve him instead of wasting more time. With her gaze turning cold, Erika watched Se-Hoon finally begin to move. Swish! Shadow Threads shot from his fingertips, darting down various pathways as if they were alive, searching for the correct route. It was a standard method for figuring out the way through a maze-like barrier, but for the one he was in, it was unfortunately the wrong approach. Wooom! Vibrating, the Earth Pillar drew more energy from the ley lines, and ten new pathways appeared at the end of each black thread. Sensing the paths through his threads, Se-Hoon split them further and sent them out again. However, that just made hundreds of new paths emerge. The visible paths are traps. If he wanted to find the real exit, he needed to navigate through layers of overlapping pathways. Without the right intuition, he would endlessly repeat the same wrong choices. Yet Se-Hoon just kept sending out more black threads, oblivious to that fact. “...” Eventually, thousands of paths appeared before him and the Shadow Threads started to crisscross and tangle, forming a hopeless knot. Yet Se-Hoon's efforts intensified further, causing the threads to intertwine more and more until they ultimately became completely tangled. Seeing the Shadow Thread messily recreating the spell formula she had shown him during their last encounter, which matched the arrangement of the paths, Erika muttered quietly to herself, “So he doesn’t have it in him...” Perhaps she had overestimated him, having judged too hastily using his achievements up until now. For now, though, she silently watched as Se-Hoon seemed to dispel the tangled threads in frustration. However, at that moment, their eyes met. “?!” Erika’s eyes widened in shock. Se-Hoon shouldn’t have been able to sense her while lost in the barrier. But before she could process what was happening, Se-Hoon had reached into his jacket and pulled something out. That’s...! Seeing him pull out a cylindrical rod with yellow markings, a faint expression of surprise crossed her face. Lightning surged from the rod, and it quickly morphed into a bow. Then, when he drew back the string, a bright yellow arrow materialized on the bowstring. Twang! The arrow, imbued with the power of Perception, shot forward, swift and precise. Sensing something was wrong, Erika instinctively pulled her hand off the Earth Pillar and spun around. Zap! A bolt of lightning streaked past her head, striking the Earth Pillar directly and cutting off the ley line’s power. And just like that, the entire barrier collapsed. ...How? Stunned, Erika was just blankly staring at the Earth Pillar when she heard footsteps approaching. Seconds later, the door opened, and Se-Hoon walked in. Their eyes met again. “Pffft!” “...” He couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Affected by the static electricity from the arrow, Erika’s hair was puffed out in all directions.

Chapter 265

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