Capítulo 16: Mysterious Saviour

"Where am I?"

"What is going on?"

"Am I dead?"

These were the words repeated over and over again, in a dream-like state.

"Wake up!" an echo resonated within. This jolted the unconscious individual that was laying in an undisclosed location but it seemed to be home.

"He is awake!" A child, approximately 6-year-old would shout. She had her pink hair styled in a ponytail, reaching just below her nape.

An elderly man would walk in, he had a fragile-looking body but he could still walk on his own two feet.

"Rest easy now, child." The elderly man would try to make sure he was not restless. Pointing at him as if to tell him to take a closer look at himself. Jinwoo would see himself covered up in bandages from head to toe, leaving some parts exposed, with needles sticking out the exposed flesh.

"You could have died, young one. I had to stop your heart for a few minutes or you would have bled out. Those needles sticking out are what saved your life. I have no idea what you kids are into these days but those wounds. I have only seen such on the battlefield." The elderly man said Jinwoo would squint his only available eye and notice the pictures around. This man seemed to have been in the army.

"Are you a veteran?" Jinwoo asked, clearly feeling pain with each word he spoke. The man would flash a broad smile, this revealed this man had suffered from a case of complete edentulism.

"Hohoho! You are an inquisitive kid, are you not? Worry not, resting should be your priority. You still have a long way before you are completely healed. Let me know if you need anything. What name do you go by?" Asked the elderly man, maintaining his smile.

"I am Jinwoo. Thank you very much, gramps." Jinwoo said. He had a hint of gratitude in his voice.

"Oh? Do not thank me yet, young one. Nothing in this world is done for free." The man would reply, this sounded sinister but his tone would puzzle Jinwoo. It was a bit confusing, due to the sinister context not matching the elderly man's voice that conveyed the said message.

"Okay, thanks."

A-Yeong would be intercepted on her way to the Guild by Gyeong and Byung. What reverberated in her mind the moment she saw Byung was the warning Kwan gave to her.

"That damn muscle head!" She thought to herself with a facepalm.

"Big sis!" Gyeong said, running to hug A-Yeong in which the much older lady reciprocated.

"Hey, you alright? What is he doing here?" She asked, sweeping the strand of hair that had gotten in her face, over her right ear.

"Yes! He was with Jinwoo. He protected me." Gyeong responded, one would think she was much younger by how jolly and childlike she was around A-Yeong. A-Yeong would look over her shoulder, her head jerking left and right.

"I thought you went to meet Jinwoo, where is he and what do you mean protected you?" A-Yeong asked with a raised brow but Gyeong would say with a bright smile.

"Everything will be fine." She responded, with no waver in her voice. Flashing Byung a blood-curdling glare which dis well to unsettle him but he gestured for her to come over.

"I will be right back Gyeong, stay here." Walking a couple of paces to meet Byung. As much as she would like to smack him, she had to remain calm to get the full gist of the story and not to worry Gyeong.

"Hey! What the hell is going on?" She said in a whisper.

"Calm down! let me tell you exactly what happened." He responded with a whisper, grabbing her by the arm to reposition her so their backs are both facing Gyeong.

"We were attacked by a lady named Chaewon, it seems she is linked to the hobo's death. Sorry, I mean Jin." Byung would pause so A-Yeong could digest the information but her facial expression was not one of surprise but terror as they too were attacked.

"What are you saying? Don't play with me, where is Jinwoo?" A-Yeong asked, the urgency in her voice made Byung falter with his reply. Shame overtook him as he replied, head hung down in defeat.

"He protected us. He took her on by himself while I took Gyeong to safety." Byung said, expecting to be scolded by A-Yeong but the laughter that followed could confuse even the wise Odin himself.

"So that is what it was. Do not be so hard on yourself, we were all pretty much the same in our very first battle. If Jinwoo said he will be fine, he will be fine." A-Yeong responded but Byung could see the lingering sense of worry within her eyes. Unlike Gyeong, A-Yeong was not assured.

"Oh yeah! You mind following me back to see our guild master?" A-Yeong would ask Byung, no longer whispering.

"No, I will pass. I do not think I am interested. Sounds more like a Cult than Guild." Byung replied, clearly sounding nonchalant but the fact that he insulted the Guild ticked A-Yeong off.

"What did you just say?" She asked in a calm non-threatening voice.

"Oh! I said I am not interested in joining your Cult." He replied, clearly clueless about the situation he was currently in but before he could even comprehend the consequence of his words.

A powerful blow was felt right on his balls, looking down in disbelief. He saw the foot of A-Yeong firmly planted there.

"W-Why!?" This was the only word he could mutter before falling on his knees and writhe around in pain.

"Hey, Gyeong. Let us head back." Byung heard her say but he could not even speak any more words at this point.

"Is Big Bro alright?" Gyeong asked but this confused A-Yeong, pausing for a second before bursting out laughing. This infuriated Byung as tears escaped his eyes with his lips pursed.

"That stupid dumb b*tch! She will pay for this" He thought, with both his arms between his legs as he continued to cry. But Byung was uneasy, he was not happy he was not of any help to Jinwoo.

He knew he would not be able to live with himself if something did happen to Jinwoo. Getting up, he made sure Gyeong and A-Yeong were out of sight, as he headed to the location of the battle at full speed.

"You better be alive, dipsh*t!" He thought to himself as the puddle of rain in which he traversed splattered.

"Oh! Right. I could call her but…" Byung would suddenly remember he has the number of Officer Hayoon but he was hesitant to call her due to withholding information from him.

"Well, I do not have much of a choice now, do I?" He muttered to himself, sounding worried as he took out his phone and dialed the number of Hayoon.

Within an unknown location, Jin-Hyuk and Chaewon were seen talking to each other. Still within the confines of their hideout which the leader presumably stayed, albeit a different compartment.

"Jin-Hyuk, just what happened to your arm?" Chaewon would ask him, showing clear concern but Jin-Hyuk would flash her a glare and just as he was about to respond.

SFX: Clap Clap Clap

This was heard behind both Jin-Hyuk and Chaewon, but only Jin-Hyuk would turn back with Chaewon muttering to him in a weak, timid tone, "Do not, Jin-Hyuk."

"The fact that you two could still show your face here just makes me want to puke." A voice said, but judging by its frequency and pitch it could be assumed to be that of a female, her accent gave her away as an English lady, as thumping sounds could be heard coming closer and closer each passing second but the darkened hallways would do well to conceal her physique due to the barely illuminated passageway

"Warriors are different from pets. I never expected new bones such as yourselves to get the job done. That was simply too much a task. Jin-Hyuk boy, you even lost an arm but not before causing a huge ruckus on the media for crying out loud. Man, I do not know what the old gaffer was thinking giving you two a chance at redemption." The lady would say as she gradually came into the light.

She is a slender dark skin female with long, thick, wavy black hair, long eyelashes, and glaucous eyes, with the number 'VIII' just below her right eye. She wears a black choker necklace with golden spikes protruding from the body around her neck. Her outfit consists of a long black dress with long sleeves, which extend well past her hands, with a slit in each one, and a leather hatch black and white-colored belt around her waist. She wore elegant golden high heels and the way she carried herself, one would think she was a renowned model walking on the red carpet. She could be assumed to be in her late 20s.

She noticed Jin-Hyuk look at her with eyes she did not appreciate. But just as she was about to punish this disobedience, Chaewon would forcefully yank Jin-Hyuk's head down in a bowing position, following suit immediately.

"We are sorry, Alora Senpai! Jin-Hyuk is just a little tired." She would plead but the silent stare she got from Alora was a blank one and she soon turned away, her figure slowly fading into the darkness.

"Why did you do that?" Jin-Hyuk asked while slapping her hand off his head. But he noticed Chaewon gritting her teeth in anger.

"Never mind." Jin-Hyuk replied himself.