Chương 10: 9. Drastic Changes and Problems
"Problems pile up incessantly. Solutions often seem like a distant illusion, if they ever appear at all"
—Nilloen
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Oreki ran as fast as he could, enduring his injuries, fatigue, and the little mana he had left.
His body ached with every movement, reminding him of the Djinn's claws, the broken bones, and the open wounds. "I can't stop now," he forced himself to continue. The sound of whips approached, along with the Djinn's sinister laughter, driving him on.
"You're kidding, right? You're not going to get it like this," a voice whispered in Oreki's mind, that familiar, dark voice. "Let me take control. I'd be done with this in seconds."
Oreki hesitated, the thought of giving in to this 'being' simmering through his mind. He knew the idea was tempting, but the reality of giving in completely to this thing was not a choice he would make lightly. He'd seen enough anime and stories with this situation, and he didn't trust his luck that this 'being' was someone nice.
However, the situation was critical, and the "other me" was insistent.
He formulated a plan in his mind. "Here's the contract," Oreki thought, his mind clear despite the stress.
"A contract? As if you had any choice. But okay, it's an acceptable deal," the "other me" replied, his voice filled with a sadistic smile.
***
Exhaustion.
It was the only word that ran through Yoo Yeonha's mind as her muscles protested with every movement.
The girl had been fighting for too long. Each crack of the whip seemed to lose strength, her arm trembled, and her once-fast reflexes began to fail.
The air inside the devastated museum was saturated with the acrid smell of dust and sweat, mixed with the metallic crack of broken glass beneath her feet.
The walls and floor were cracked and broken, evidence of the intense fighting. Fragments of marble and shattered glass littered the floor. Large display cases that once displayed artifacts were destroyed, scattered and unrecognizable.
Yeonha took a deep breath, trying to stifle the despair that threatened to rise in her chest. "I need to maintain control," she repeated mentally, as she felt the weight of exhaustion sinking onto her shoulders.
Yoo Yeonha was injured and tired, her body marked by cuts and bruises. Part of her clothes were torn, exposing bruised and bloodied skin.
The lighting still worked, but it was irregular; some lights flickered, casting random shadows that made the scene even more surreal.
As she struggled, Yeonha analyzed the situation. The Djinn was strong, much stronger than she was. "I have to find a way out," she thought, worried for her survival.
The Djinn before her was a terrifying sight. Its humanoid form displayed purple skin that pulsed with a sinister and intimidating aura. Its legs, disproportionately thick in relation to its skeletal torso, gave it a solid base and impressive strength, contrasting with its grotesque and distorted appearance.
The Djinn's head was adorned with thick spines, and its eyes were a piercing moss green. When it opened its mouth, its serpentine tongue slid out, arousing in Yeonha a revulsion that almost made her falter.
The Djinn laughed ferociously, advancing with its thick legs at high speed towards Yoo Yeonha. When it got close, it raised a leg to deliver a front kick to her stomach.
Yeonha barely managed to dodge a kick that would have crushed her ribs. "This is harder to do than in training," she reflected, feeling the fatigue weigh on her muscles.
She knew that every attack from the Djinn was deadly, even if he was joking. "I can't afford to miss," she thought, adjusting her stance. Her whip cracked again, searching for any weakness in the creature's defense.
Yeonha scanned the environment with alert eyes, looking for any advantage. "I need to find a way to delay it," she thought.
She looked around, her eyes scanning the rubble and cracked walls of the museum. "Perhaps if I use the environment…"
The Djinn, laughing ferociously, advanced again, his legs ready to strike. "Do you think you can run away, human?" His voice was a hissing whisper, full of malice.
Yeonha felt a chill run down her spine, but forced herself to remain calm. "He is strong, but not invincible," she thought.
Amidst the rubble and dancing shadows, she spotted a large wooden beam, hanging precariously from the ceiling. "If I can lure him to that area…"
With a swift movement, she brandished her whip, cracking it against the floor with a loud, reverberating sound. The Djinn stopped, his eyes fixed on her, a wicked smile forming on his lips.
"What are you planning, human?" he asked, his tongue lolling out and inching forward. "Another useless, stupid attempt?"
"Let's see," Yeonha muttered, backing up toward the beam. "Come and find out."
Her eyes were fixed on the monster in front of her as her body swayed. She continued to back away, feeling the beam just a few feet behind her.
"I can't die here," she repeated to herself, as thoughts of her family and her pride anchored her to reality. "I won't die here."
The Djinn advanced without noticing the trap, his cruel intentions evident. "You will die in your despair," he hissed, a wicked smile on his lips. "I will revel in every moment of your agony."
Yeonha waited until the last moment, her breath held as the monster approached.
With just one step, he was only a few feet away.
When he was within reach, she leapt with all her might, grabbing the loose beam.
The already weakened structure gave way. The sound of the wood giving way echoed through the hall, followed by the deafening crash of the collapse. The beam, followed by an avalanche of debris, fell on the Djinn, crushing him under tons of debris. His eyes flashed with surprise and fear in the last moments, before disappearing under the rubble.
"This!" Yeonha thought, panting, as the dust settled around her. Taking advantage of the distraction, she ran with the last of her strength, knowing that this was her only chance to survive. Without looking back, she was aware that the Djinn would not be trapped for long. She could not defeat him in direct combat, but now she had a chance to escape.
But Yeonha did not look back, her only response was to accelerate, ignoring the exhaustion that threatened to consume her. As she ran, the Djinn's roar of pain and frustration reached her ears.
"You will pay for this!" His voice carried visceral rage. He pushed the rubble away with brutal force. As he stood up, he screamed, the anger evident in his voice. But Yeonha didn't stop, running as far away as she could, determined to find a solution.
Yoo Yeonha ran as fast as she could away from the Djinn. Her breathing was heavy and her legs felt like lead, but she couldn't stop. The sound of the Djinn's footsteps crunching the ground behind her sounded like an omen of death.
"I can't let him catch me," she thought, her heart pounding wildly. "I need to find something that will help me escape or defeat him."
The Djinn, relentless, increased his speed, as if he wasn't tired at all. A cruel smile formed on his lips. "Run, little human," he hissed, his voice dripping with contempt. "I want to see the despair in your eyes when I catch you."
Yoo Yeonha felt a chill run down her spine. She knew she was at a disadvantage and that a direct fight was useless. "I can't face him without a strategy," she thought. She needed a plan, and fast.
Suddenly, a memory flashed through her mind, a fragment of a memory flashing through her mind. "Wait… that place!" She remembered an area of the museum she had quickly passed before the battle began. It was a section with a display of artifact copies.
"If I can reach that place, maybe I'll find something that can help," she thought, forcing her legs to keep going.
Panting heavily, Yoo Yeonha weaved through the destroyed corridors and finally reached the weapons display section of the museum. The room was in ruins, but this part seemed to have withstood the worst of the destruction. Shards of glass and broken display cases littered the floor, and the air was thick with dust kicked up by the battle.
Amidst the chaos, a partially intact display case caught her eye. The glass was cracked, but it allowed a clear view of what was inside. Inside lay two daggers.
The blades were plain, without any shine or magical adornments. The leather grips were worn, signs of practical use rather than prestige. In a setting of relics and historical pieces, these weapons seemed modest, almost out of place.
Yeonha didn't hesitate. She broke the cracked glass and grabbed the daggers, feeling the cool metal against her skin, a temporary relief from the desperate situation.
"My skills with bladed weapons are mediocre," she thought in frustration. "I've always been more efficient with medium to long-range weapons. But now, I have no choice."
The wounds on her body throbbed, and fatigue clouded her mind, but she pushed those thoughts away with force. "I'm injured and exhausted, but I have to make this work. I can't afford to fail now."
She turned the daggers in her hands, testing their weight and balance. They weren't ideal, but they would have to do. Without anyone's help, the strategy would have to be even more precise and quick. The distant sound of the Djinn's footsteps was getting closer, and Yeonha knew there was no time to waste.
Thinking quickly, Yeonha hid the daggers in the back of her clothes, positioning them so that she could draw them quickly.
She twirled the daggers in her hands, testing their weight and balance. They weren't ideal, but they would have to do. Without anyone's help, the strategy would have to be even more precise and quick. The distant sound of the Djinn's footsteps was getting closer, and Yeonha knew there was no time to waste.
Thinking quickly, Yeonha hid the daggers in the back of her clothes, positioning them so she could quickly draw them.
The Djinn's quickened footsteps echoed with a menacing cadence as he advanced through the ruined hallway. The sound was getting closer quickly, and Yoo Yeonha, with her whip in her hands, knew the final confrontation was about to begin.
She barely had time to breathe when the Djinn entered the room. His piercing green eyes met Yeonha's, and a cruel smile formed on his lips. The room was bathed in unstable lighting, with the lights flickering, casting shadows that danced on the walls and accentuated the creature's menacing presence.
"Look what I found here," the Djinn hissed, "The little human hid like a little mouse. I thought her courage and pride were greater."
Yeonha straightened, her whip trembling slightly in her hands. Every movement she made was a conscious effort to stay focused on her enemy. "I have no time for your taunts," she replied, her voice strained but determined. "What do you want from me?"
The Djinn laughed, a hoarse, mocking sound. He stepped forward, his heavy feet crunching against the shards of glass and marble on the floor. "What do I want?" he repeated, his tone ironic. "I want to see how you cling to life as death approaches."
He stopped, his intimidating presence filling the room. Yeonha took a step back, her muscles tensing, but her eyes never left the Djinn. "You think you scare me? You're wrong."
"Deception is your specialty, isn't it?" The Djinn sneered. "You think you can defeat me with your useless whip? You're just some weak human, a puny little guy trying to fight someone much stronger than you has no chance of winning."
"Just a little longer. I need to make him push himself towards me." Yoo Yeonha thought, waiting for the right moment to take advantage of the weakness in the Djinn's fighting style.
Yeonha gripped her whip tighter, her body in a defensive posture. "I'm not going down without a fight," she replied, though her voice revealed a tone of weariness. "If I'm going to die, I'm going to take you with me."
The Djinn grinned, his reptilian tongue extending as his body tilted slightly, preparing for the attack.
"I only have this one chance," Yoo Yeonha decided, running straight toward the Djinn with desperate determination.
"I will feast on you," the Djinn roared, launching himself with crushing force.
The two of them ran toward each other, the Djinn faster and more relentless. In one swift movement, Yeonha threw her coat over the Djinn, creating a curtain of fabric that temporarily blocked his vision.
"Are you serious, human?" The Djinn's grin widened even further. "You think a cheap trick will stop me?"
Yoo Yeonha used her whip with precision. In one swift movement, she lashed it toward the Djinn's leg, pulling him down. The Djinn's leg bent unsteadily, throwing the creature off balance as it was about to rise.
As the Djinn fell, Yeonha released the whip and quickly drew her hidden daggers. Her muscles were strained as she threw herself at the Djinn, using her weight to force the blade through the creature's tough hide.
"Please die."
She drove one of the daggers into the Djinn's back with fierce precision. The Djinn roared in pain, his eyes widening as the blade penetrated his flesh.
But as she tried to finish off the attack with the second dagger, her fatigue and lack of balance caused her to miss the blow, hitting the Djinn's trapezius instead of his head.
With a roar of pain and fury, the Djinn pushed Yoo Yeonha with brutal force. She was thrown backwards, hitting the ground violently and sliding for a few meters.
"Argh!" Yeonha let out a groan of pain as she collided with the rough ground.
"Useless human, you will pay with your life!" The Djinn roared with deafening fury, advancing with murderous determination towards Yeonha, ready to end the fight once and for all.
Yeonha, lying on the ground, looked at the Djinn with a tired expression. Her body was exhausted, and her energy seemed drained.
"So this is it, I'm going to die like this..." She felt all her strength drain away with the final effort. The Djinn moved forward slowly, and Yeonha watched its movements in slow motion, like a scene repeated on a worn-out tape.
She felt a strange calm take over her mind, even as the terror of the situation still pulsed in her chest.
However, a wave of sadness began to emerge, deep and painful. Her mind turned to those she loved, and the image of her parents emerged. The moments shared, the smiles and the unspoken words...
"I'm so sorry for leaving you," she murmured, her lips moving in an almost involuntary gesture, as if the words could reach her parents wherever they were. Sadness enveloped her, not only for the imminent loss, but for the pain of no longer being able to be there for them.
The Djinn's decision was sealed, and Yeonha prepared for the final moment, with a thought of love and a final prayer for those she was leaving behind.
"It's over!" the Djinn screamed, ready to crush Yoo Yeonha's head with his legs.
But before the fatal blow could be struck, a sharp wind tore through the room.
A form of compressed air, in a precise arc of a waning moon, flew with lethal speed. The attack hit the Djinn's neck, abruptly separating his head from his body. The Djinn fell, motionless, his body slowly slowing down.
Yeonha, exhausted and wide-eyed, turned her attention to the source of the attack. A few meters away, a young man with an icy gaze and an unflappable posture stood.
"Oreki!" Yeonha exclaimed, her voice filled with deep relief mixed with a hint of doubt. She tried to stand up, her muscles protesting the effort. "You made it in time…"
The young man smiled, but there was something unsettling in his gaze. "Too early?" His voice was unperturbed, almost disdainful.
"I hope you enjoyed the show." The way he spoke, the coldness in his words, seemed out of place compared to his normal personality.
Yeonha watched him with a growing sense of unease. The difference between the Oreki she had seen and the one before her was evident.
His eyes, which normally expressed different feelings, sometimes curious, sometimes disinterested, sometimes satisfied. Now they were cold and empty. She thought, "Something's not right."
"You're insane, you know that?" Yeonha forced a shaky smile, her voice cracking slightly. "But I can't deny that I'm grateful..."
The boy let out a tired laugh, but soon became serious. "I'd like to keep laughing, but we have more important things to do." His gaze drifted to the battlefield. "There's still work to be done. Before he wakes up."
***
"Kim Suho!" Chae Nayun's voice echoed through the museum room, thick with worry. She saw the Djinn separate Oreki from them, throwing him away with a powerful blow. But she knew she couldn't let herself get distracted. Kim Suho needed her now more than ever.
Kim Suho felt a chill run down his spine as he heard Chae Nayun's scream.
He knew that Oreki was in no danger, so his priority was to face the Djinn before him. With a determined look, he raised the sword given to him by Oreki, preparing for the next clash.
"We cannot lose this battle," he thought confidently, his heart calmer than usual.
The Djinn, with a condescending gaze and a subtly wicked smile, observed the chaos around him. "These memories are truly valuable." His eyes shone with cold excitement as he considered the memories he had stolen, as if he was contemplating the depth of his own achievement.
Kim Suho, even in the midst of the battle, felt a disconcerting chill as he heard the Djinn's words. He realized that the headache he had was going to be a problem.
He gripped the hilt of his sword tighter, his serious and closed face completely different from his usual calm one.
Chae Nayun shot an arrow straight at the Djinn. Exhaustion and weariness were evident in her expression, but her body remained firm.
The Djinn, who had been laughing and enjoying the chaos, slowly turned his head to face the arrow coming towards him. A smug smile spread across his grotesque face, revealing sharp teeth. The arrow found its target, but instead of causing damage, it simply disappeared as it was destroyed by the Djinn's dense mana, as if swallowed by a black hole.
Now with a smug smile, he seemed to absorb every fragment of the memories he had acquired.
"Interesting," he muttered, his voice filled with malice. "Strangely, I didn't manage to get many memories from that boy, but this one from the novel is interesting." The revelation awakened a sense of excitement in his perverse essence.
By absorbing the memories of very few future situations, the Djinn saw glimpses of events to come, possibilities that were now within his reach.
Memories of other worlds echoed in his mind, revealing secrets and deep connections between those he faced. "So you are not of this world," he muttered.
The memory of Eren's name echoed in his mind, a title that carried significant weight for the opponent before him. "A hero, you say?" the Djinn smiled, his eyes twinkling with anticipation. "That only makes your defeat all the more satisfying."
The mention of an equally powerful foe piqued the Djinn's curiosity. "Jin Sahyuk…" he muttered, arching an eyebrow. "A worthy challenge, indeed." The memories were like a newfound treasure.
"This information will please our master greatly," he added, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Believe me, the fun is only beginning." With a theatrical gesture, the Djinn created a dark portal behind him.
"Don't go, coward!" Kim Suho shouted, his voice thick with worry and anger. He was clearly shaken by the sight of the Djinn escaping.
Chae Nayun looked at him in surprise, never having seen him so emotional.
Before the Djinn could disappear completely, Oreki and Yoo Yeonha came running in, panting. Even from the top, they could see the portal closing.
"Fuck," Oreki muttered in disappointment. He was visibly tired, his body seemed exhausted and his mana was almost gone.
The Djinn turned to face Kim Suho and Oreki one last time, his eyes shining with malice and arrogance.
"You escaped this time, but remember, reborn hero and knower of secrets, our paths will cross again. And when that happens, I will be ready to savor your defeat."
With those words, the Djinn disappeared into the portal, leaving Kim Suho, Oreki, Chae Nayun, and Yoo Yeonha amidst the chaos. The feeling of helplessness and the urgency to prepare for the battles ahead were palpable.
Oreki felt his vision blur. "My mana is almost gone," he thought, noticing the paleness of his skin and the sensation of cold that enveloped him. His body was on the verge of collapse, with deep wounds, broken bones, extreme fatigue and mental exhaustion finally taking their toll.
"If it weren't for my high Perseverance and the 'other me,' I would have passed out long ago," he reflected, struggling to maintain consciousness.
Suddenly, his knees gave way and he began to plummet from the second floor of the museum, about ten meters below.
"Careful," Yoo Yeonha said. With a swift movement, she managed to grab him by his hair, stopping his fatal fall.
"We're even," she said, panting and with a tone of slight satisfaction.
Oreki, still dazed, looked at her with a weak smile. "Thanks... that was almost a 'freefall' experience... But I prefer it when it's on rollercoasters and not in battles with Djinns."
Yoo Yeonha rolled her eyes, but a faint, tired smile appeared on her lips. "Shut up, idiot," she said, pulling him away from the edge.
Oreki, finally succumbing to exhaustion, passed out in her arms. Yoo Yeonha, despite being exhausted and wary, dragged him to safety, relieved that she had saved him.
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