Chapter 388

"Do you have a syringe?" I asked.

"What are you thinking?"

Instead of responding to Choi Kyung-sik's suspicious gaze, I retrieved [Sylph's Fall]. However, instead of wielding that weapon, I took out a basic dagger that I had been using.

As I attempted to pierce my hand with the dagger, Choi Kyung-sik swiftly grabbed my hand and shot me a menacing look. "Are you out of your mind?"

I wasn't concerned by his fierce anger, "Why don't you give me something better than this dagger?"

At my tranquil tone, Choi Kyung-sik looked at my face, dumbfounded. "....Ha."

Finally, he took out a syringe from his inventory. He then took out a cotton swab soaked in alcohol, swabbed the area to be pierced with the needle, and, like a nurse, precisely drew my blood.

Choi Kyung-sik's hands shook even though he was drawing only a small amount of blood; he wouldn't even open his mouth as he pulled back on the syringe. From what I knew, he must be holding back his breath (though I didn't think that helped all that much).

"Give it to me." I said.

"......"

Without tormenting my pitiful servant further, I received and took away the small vial of my blood. Choi Kyung-sik lowered his head and breathed a deep sigh when he stumbled a few steps away.

"Haah... Stay away from Jung Garam." Even despite his shakiness, Choi Kyung-sik still stood between me and Garam-ie. I didn't draw my blood to hand it to Garam-ie anyway, so I pointed at the bottom of the cage-where Garam-ie fell through-and said, "I'm going to put this up there."

"What are you trying to do?"

"You can't hold onto Garam-ie for long, right?"

"Yes." Choi Kyung-sik nodded obediently-he was never one to put on airs.

He could only momentarily suppress Garam-ie with his power. Just as how hunger could be momentarily abated through hand gestures or touching, it certainly wasn't something that could be dragged on for a while.

Therefore....

"We need to use blood to get Garam-ie's attention." As I said that, I picked up Choi Kyung-sik's marble that was lying on the floor. After sprinkling half the blood I had drawn on the marble, I placed it down again.

Choi Kyung-sik stared at it for a long while before, with great difficulty, tearing his gaze away. "...Fine. Then, in the meantime, we'll climb up?"

"Yes. We only need a brief distraction-for his attention to be pulled away for just a moment."

"...Alright." Choi Kyung-sik still hesitated, contemplating, but he soon placed his hand on Garam's nearly demolished [Dummy]. To be more exact, he placed his hand on its forehead.

Then, a mysterious magic circle emerged on the [Dummy]'s forehead. The [Dummy] looked quite unlike when Garam was onboard-it resembled a mannequin with indistinct features. However, it was a little frightening to see that featureless [Dummy] wriggle and rise on its own.

Choi Kyung-sik shrugged and said to me, "I just need something to help hold down the ankles."

"Of course."

We looked at each other in silence at the end of that exchange. Choi Kyung-sik took the initiative to cautiously place his hand above the smashed portion of the vertical passage.

Then, the sparkling glass corridor gradually began to distort until bulging, rounded hand and foot holds began to appear on its surface.

Choi Kyung-sik beckoned at me, "Grab those and climb up."

It felt like I was climbing up an indoor climbing wall; the holds were less slippery than I had imagined. I tried to climb as fast as I could. And...

Bang-!

I heard something exploding from below. Then, I heard the blood-soaked marble rolling away over shards of glass.

As expected, Jung Garam focused on the small marble as it exuded a strong bloody scent instead of looking towards us climbing up to the cage. I briefly glanced at him to make sure he wasn't looking our way before hastening my climb.

'If it were the past me... I wouldn't be able to move.'

The fruits of my strength training really showed itself here. Choi Kyung-sik and I coordinated our steps quite well, and, shortly afterwards, we were able to hold onto the foot of the exposed cage. We had escaped from the underground.

"Haah...."

"It's too early to be relieved. The marble has been smashed."

That meant our bait had fulfilled its purpose after luring Garam-ie away. We bought ourselves a little less than three minutes. I quickly crawled out of the cage at those words; Choi Kyung-sik followed hotly at my heels.

Boom-! Crash-!

The area outside the cage, though, was embroiled in the midst of combat. Closest to us, Eunji was struggling; Kim Olim, stood with her back to the younger girl's back.

The two were dealing with enemies that were converging near the cage. But, strangely enough, I couldn't see Lim Jisoo. Despite her absence, they were struggling against the relentless onslaught of unidentified users amidst the Holy Mother statues.

I watched the situation helplessly, unable to approach them. Plus, I had no idea when Garam would chase after us from below...

"The situation...doesn't look good, hm?"

"I don't know about that, but it's weird that Lim Jisoo can't be seen. She's not a woman who'd die easily," Choi Kyung-sik said, looking at me. "What are you going to do now?"

I was a little flustered-I didn't expect for him to ask me about my plans. But, I schooled my expression and thought to myself, 'Choi Kyung-sik or I won't be of much help in battle anyway.'

So, what could we do to contribute...?

'It would be nice if I could donate blood, but I can't reward or risk them losing their sanity. Let's figure out a way to help as much as I can without burdening my combatants.'

Then, before long, I knew what I needed to do. "We need to release Dawon."

"...With my skills, I won't be able to hold down the guildmaster, even for a moment." He was saying that it was wishful thinking to have the same stroke of luck to get rid of Garam-ie. If, while trapped in that cage, Dawon-ie was subjected to something similar to Garam's experience...the Mage was bound to try and drink my blood.

Strangely, however, I couldn't help but foolishly think that Seo Dawon couldn't bear to hurt me. I knew that Choi Kyung-sik would laugh if I were to voice that opinion, but I couldn't help but say, "Don't you think Dawon-ie will be able to suppress his bloodthirst through rationality?"

"......."

Sure enough, he made a rude expression, as if he were thinking 'Here we go again!' However, he made no retort. Therefore, I thought I received his implicit agreement.

"You also don't think Dawon-ie can hurt me, right?"

"Haah... Just make sure you have [Sylph's Fall] on you. You'll have just one chance to stab him."

My cheeks flushed when he mentioned me stabbing Dawon. Despite his grumbling though, Choi Kyung-sik stepped forward and began to lead the way.

* * *

Although Choi Kyung-sik's abilities weren't flashy, they were incredibly effective and neat. Using his ground-based skills, he easily beat the scouting statues by plunging them into pits. If there were many patrolling statues, we hid in a pit and waited for them to pass.

However, all this took a long while. After all, we couldn't afford to be drawn into a fight.

Still, besides our speed, our progress went pretty smoothly. Although the statues were undoubtedly destructive and numerous, they were unable to think for themselves, so simple tricks to divert their attention quickly created gaps in their siege.

"Keep your head down."

"......"

Choi Kyung-sik was more familiar with these guerrilla warfare tactics than I had anticipated. I bowed my head quietly as he suggested, and we crouched through the underbrush.

After a few repeats of this cycle, we were able to find the cage that trapped Seo Dawon without making much hubbub.

"...What?"

However, appallingly, Dawon-ie couldn't be seen. Alongside the Mage, the heart and the ornaments placed in the cage were also gone.

At first, I thought Dawon left the cage and we just missed each other on our paths, but, when I saw the demolished interior of the cage, another thought crossed my mind. Perhaps the reason why Lim Jisoo wasn't around was because...

"No way... Did she somehow steal away Dawon?"

"......"

Choi Kyung-sik also looked pale as if he didn't predict this situation. He looked at the empty cage with a bewildered expression.

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TL: Stress~ This arc is stressing me~