Transformation or Death

245 – Long Journey

Because it was late. Han Jaejoong prepared simple snacks such as sandwiches and coffee to eat in the hospital room and left the cafe.

“Jiknyeo will love it!”

Haru said that and smiled brightly.

“I guess the one Ayun made tastes better?”

“I am not impressed by the professional cooking. Even though the taste is not outstanding, the owner’s cooking is ‘impressive’!!!”

“Are you trying to turn it around? And can you change the name? “If someone hears it, it will be difficult to explain.”

After hearing those words, Jo A-yoon wondered whether he should praise her for calling her a professional, or whether he should curse her in a subtly criticizing tone.

“You bastard.”

“Eh, suddenly?!”

He felt like swearing, so Jo A-yoon just did it.

‘Oh, it feels so refreshing.’

If you hold back, it is bad for your body. As the concentration of profanity in her blood reached its peak, Jo Ayun smiled coolly.

“You deserve to be cursed one day.”

“Even Maman…! After all, there is only one person on my side, my master…! Ah, the sorrow of a single worker….”

“Could you please stop calling yourself master when you call yourself a foreign laborer? “It feels strange.”

He feels like a factory boss who exploits labor unfairly and is also good at gaslighting people to follow him. Han Jaejoong frowned with complicated feelings.

“Well, then master… You won’t use me tomorrow…? “I had a really hard time…!”

“Do you want to look after Haru?”

Hmph, Haru groaned softly and lowered his head.

“After all, I have no choice but to follow my master’s words… It’s sad… I have to follow my master’s path no matter what, so tomorrow I’ll have to go through unwanted labor again….”

“Do you want compensation?”

“Are you going to give it to me?”

“A cup of coffee is enough compensation.”

“Look, master. “The tyranny of landowners….”

Jo Ayun’s eyes sparkled when she heard that he was a landowner.

“Ah… Now that I think about it, I guess I should contact my former boss. “Is there anything suspicious?”

The former store owner may have disposed of the belt brought by Sky Polaris.

“Well, that could be true.”

“But the owner and the landowner there.”

Haru asked.

“Do I really need to look for that belt?”

After hearing that, Jo Ayun asked back as if it were absurd.

“What are you talking about now?”

“Why, isn’t it so? Do I really need to find that belt? “Isn’t this when Aniki found stability?”

“No, what is that….”

“Wait a minute, keep talking.”

Yun Seol-hwa calmed Jo Ayun down and told her to continue talking after seeing each other for a day.

“If you find the belt, won’t Aniki abandon the peace he has found and go back to the battlefield? Why do we have to do that? Magical girls are no longer weak. Right now, Jiknyeo alone has made her divinity stronger. Maman has become a monster that can defeat even the beasts of the galaxy! Oh wait, Maman is on the human side, right?”

“Jaejoong is a human being, so he’s on the human side.”

“Then I’m glad. She also has a pink senpai. Also, other people have also become much stronger. “I heard that there are quite a few people who have felt signs of divinity.”

Magical girls and monsters are beings who strengthen each other. As the monster becomes stronger, the magical girl becomes stronger.

During these few months when high-level monsters appeared in earnest, magical girls were exposed to strong starlight countless times.

Some magical girls have become strong enough to be helpful in the field of divine battles.

Even Amundsen, which felt like an absolute wall to the magical girls, is no longer a huge wall.

Everyone here can fight Amundsen one-on-one right now, and Jo Ayun and Yun Seol-hwa can neutralize him in just a few rounds.

Other magical girls have also grown to the point where they can overpower him if they follow his command and attack him together.

No ordinary high-level monster could become an absolute powerhouse in Korea.

As Haru said, the current magical girl was not a weakling.

“Do we really have to fight all the way to Aniki? Of course, if you are with me, you will be in and out of the battlefield often, but I can protect you against most monsters. “If you’re in a hurry, you can just run away.”

After listening carefully to the story, Yun Seol-hwa nodded.

“That is correct.”

“Wait a minute.”

When the conversation suddenly took a strange turn, Han Jaejoong abruptly cut off the conversation.

“I might be forced to separate from Haru like today. And if Haru meets a strong enemy and falls, who will protect my body?”

“Hmm… That makes sense. “But brother.”

Haru cut off Han Jaejoong’s words with sparkling eyes. Just as she was about to continue her words, Jo A-yoon opened her lips.

“That’s a problem with your body right now, not a problem related to transformation. Even if you undergo transformation, it is difficult to guarantee that your body will come back to life. And, just because you gain strength doesn’t mean you’ll only use it for self-defense.”

“Well, that’s what I was trying to say…!”

“Ayoon, whose side are you on?”

“Of course I’m on your brother’s side. “But shouldn’t we correct the facts?”

Jo Ayun smiled.

“If I want to pursue my dream, I have to convince at least the people here. “Dreams become stronger in times of crisis.”

“Ayoon, you are saying something contradictory.”

“Oh.”

Her smiling face froze.

“Did I really seem like that crazy b*tch…?”

“I’m sorry I was harsh.”

The word ‘contradiction’ is the worst insult that tramples on a person’s character.

One of the most insulting words a person can use to refer to another person.

The language of a sociopath who does not respect people as individuals and treats them as bad as dogs.

Han Jaejoong reflected and said, “Let’s not say things like this again from now on.”

“Anyway, I am against looking for a belt!!”

“After listening to the story, I agree with that statement. “For some reason, Haru says the right thing.”

“I was praised by Maman!”

I was so excited that I wandered around the room.

“Don’t worry, Jaejoong, I can protect you even if you don’t fight.”

“No, that’s not the problem….”

“Ah, we’ve arrived.”

In the end, Han Jaejoong had to keep his mouth shut before he could make any objection.

He arrived at the hospital.

**

“Good day! Even Jaejoong!!!”

“Jiknyeo!!!! “I missed you!!!!”

“Me too!!!!!!!”

Baek A-hee gave a warm welcome to those who entered the hospital room.

“Can’t you see me?”

“Oh my, I’m really disappointed.”

“Of course, you two are very welcome~ It’s been a while!!”

I gently brushed Yun Seol-hwa and Jo A-yoon’s fingers and looked at the basket in Han Jae-joong’s hand.

“Wow! “What is all this?”

Baek Ah-hee’s arm was still wrapped in bandages. The burns left over from the battle with Libra have not yet fully healed. Han Jaejoong went a little closer and showed the contents.

“Doesn’t hospital food taste good? “I thought you might not have had dinner yet, so I just brought some cafe food.”

“Ehehehe. That’s right, I haven’t eaten it yet. So I was hungry… As expected, Jaejoong has great sense! It looks so delicious! “Can I eat it all?!”

“We should leave something to eat.”

As soon as Han Jae-joong approached, Baek A-hee stretched out her hand. That white and beautiful hand naturally grabbed Han Jaejoong’s hand.

He moved his hands as if trying to see the contents of the basket, but his delicate fingers subtly dug between his fingers. It looks like it’s pinched.

“Then, shall we have some food and talk about what we’ve been up to?”

From noble mtl dot com

Yoon Seol-hwa approached us before we knew it and took out a sandwich from the basket.

“…Is that so?”

Baek Ah-hee smiled brightly, removed the hand she was holding, and grabbed a sandwich from the basket.

After that, one by one, we each took our share and started chatting wildly, holding coffee and sandwiches in both hands.

“You’re not dead.”

“Of course~ I’m so sick of people!”

“If you trust in that tough life and go too far, you will be in big trouble.”

“Thank you for your concern, but I will live according to my personality!”

“You mean you won’t change your attitude, right?”

“Yes, what about it?”

“Hmm….”

“Ehehehe.”

Han Jaejoong, feeling something eerie, quickly changed the story.

“Are your legs okay? “When can I be discharged?”

“In three days! From then on, you can walk! Of course, the bandage shouldn’t be taken off yet… but it will come off in a few days!”

Baek A-hee smiled bravely. It was a pure smile that seemed to make everyone who saw it happy as well.

Wounds that take a long time to heal despite the body of a magical girl. If an ordinary person had suffered the same injury, they might have been unable to walk for the rest of their lives.

Nevertheless, she was dignified.

“Jiknyeo….”

The wound on his leg was inflicted to help Haru and Han Jaejoong escape. Haru cried, feeling guilty for no reason. Han Jaejoong also couldn’t be free from that feeling of discomfort.

“It’s okay! Don’t worry too much! I’m strong! “You can survive any injury and stand up again!”

Seeing the darkened expression, Baek Ah-hee smiled again as if to reassure him. The wind colored by the sunset gently caressed her hair.

For a brief moment, Han Jae-joong made eye contact with Baek A-hee. At that moment, the beautifully curved corners of his eyes caught his gaze. Her hand touched her stomach for a moment.

“Don’t worry, it’s okay to be handled roughly!”

A different smile than before. It was sticky rather than refreshing. It was a smile that, depending on the person, could be considered erotic. The corners of the mouth rose slightly, and the lips glowed red in the evening glow.

“No matter what shame and pain I face, I will keep smiling! “That’s because I’m a magical girl!”

The smile lasted only for a moment, like when a comet was seen.

Her hand, which seemed to be touching her stomach for a moment, passed by it and touched the blanket. Baek Ah-hee pulled the blanket up to her stomach.

“What, are you cold?”

“The doctor told me to keep my body warm.”

“Really?”

Jo Ayun could not ask any more questions.

‘…It was a bit awkward for a gesture to pull up the blanket.’

Let’s hope it’s an illusion. Han Jaejoong didn’t think any more about it either.

“Ehehehe, now that I’m discharged from the hospital, I’ll start training right away! You know that skill I showed you before? I want to make it completely my own! Oh right. Jaejoong, can you help me? “I think it would be difficult for me to recreate that time alone…”

“That’s impossible.”

Yun Seol-hwa responded coldly.

“Oh, that’s because Jaejoong can’t transform right now. “The belt is completely broken.”

Is it because I answered in such a cold voice? Yun Seol-hwa felt a bit embarrassed and spoke in a softer tone and voice than usual.

“Ah~ Yes, now that I think about it, I heard that news. “Have you found a new belt yet?”

Han Jaejoong once again felt strange.

Magical girls talk about their belts. It was a situation he could not have imagined when he was in trouble because he did not want to reveal his identity.

‘The unicorn even tried to scout it himself.’

Maybe after I find the belt, I might officially start working with them.

‘I will have to be especially careful not to threaten the position of magical girls in the process.’

But this is still just a delusion.

“That’s right. I haven’t found a new belt yet. And….”

Yoon Seol-hwa glanced at Han Jae-joong.

“Sometimes I wish I never found it.”

Han Jaejoong laughed bitterly. He doesn’t seem to have any intention of interfering with finding the belt, but he doesn’t seem to have any intention of actively helping either.

“Because I don’t want to make Jaejoong fight again.”

“Eh… Why?”

Baek A-hee tilted his head.

“Fighting together makes my heart pound! Of course, sometimes it hurts to see someone injured… But isn’t that the fun part? “There is romance in overcoming a crisis together!”

“I don’t want to go through a crisis in the first place.”

It was a normal way of thinking. No one would want to go through a crisis that is not just an ordinary crisis but a life-threatening crisis on their own.

“Um… Is that so? Still, I enjoy being a colleague…”

Yun Seol-hwa did not bother to listen to Baek A-hee’s words. Because everyone has their own way of thinking. No one can interfere with it.

“I really like that kind of relationship! Colleague! Friendship! And competitive spirit! That’s why I really like Jaejoong!”

I was moved to tears for a moment, but I held it back. She smiled purely and said, ‘I like it,’ without any trace of darkness on her face. Rather, his expression was so clear that it seemed funny to express jealousy.

“So, for me, I want Jaejoong to get his strength back… Ah! Then, let’s look for it together after I’m discharged! I will be Jaejoong’s bridge! Just talk to me anytime! “I’ll give you a piggyback ride and fly you!”

“No, that’s a bit….”

“hehehe, don’t be too shy. “It’s between us, right?”

Yun Seol-hwa calmed her down to put her mind at peace. Different people have different opinions and relationships. It is impossible to interfere with its original thoughts.

“If Mr. Watcher becomes stronger, I become stronger…”

Baek Ah-hee originally had a quirky side. Even if he says something strange, you can just overlook it.

Yun Seol-hwa tried to hold back.

“One day I will defeat Mr. Watcher. And after that…”

But, I couldn’t bear it.

“Ahee, do you want to search?”

“Yes?”

“Oh, no, I made a mistake. Sorry.”

“Yes….”

“Ahee, does your head hurt?”

“Yes?”

No matter what, I couldn’t participate in that statement.

Defeating whom?

“Oh, well, that’s what I didn’t originally plan on saying…”

“If you didn’t plan on saying it, that means you were thinking about it.”

“Yeah, but…!”

Baek Ah-hee shouted as if she was truly aggrieved.

“You can’t stand an all-out battle with your rivals! “How can I tolerate this!!!”

For a moment, Yun Seol-hwa felt her head hurt.

“Full power… Are you serious about what you say? Then both you and Jaejoong could get seriously hurt. No, I’m glad it ends with no one getting hurt. “You could become disabled or even die.”

“Well, that feels like a medal for victory….”

“Jiknyeo! I understand! Normally, such a scene must be included in the final episode of a cartoon or animation! And you won’t die! “Of all the specimens, only a handful of them died!”

“Right?!”

“Shut up for a day. “All of those samples are not real cases, but cartoons or movies.”

“It’s reality for me.”

“So I’m telling you to shut up.”

Yun Seol-hwa pressed her forehead.

‘I thought it would have a quirky side, but to this extent…’

Whoa, Yun Seol-hwa sighed deeply and spoke in a low voice.

“Jaejoong.”

“…Uh.”

“Looking for belts is prohibited.”

“Ah.”

“Even if I find it, I will confiscate it.”

“Ah….”

Hey, what are you doing?

Han Jaejoong clenched his fists and trembled.

‘Ahee… Have you still not let go of your resentment towards me…?’

Her teeth made me want to slam my fist into her once again.

This time, not in the stomach, but in the head.

‘Then I will make that resentment even longer.’

Later, when the time comes, I will feed you honey chestnuts.

Han Jaejoong made a deep promise.

It seemed like it would be a long journey to get the belt back.

**

“Hey, over there….”

“Huh?”

“How far are we going…?”

If you look everywhere, there are only blue waterways. There is no land to rest and entrust yourself to. Above the nameless sea.

On a very small raft crossing the sea, Orange Altair carefully asked a question.

“To what extent? I told you. “I’m going to my comrade.”

Amundsen responded bluntly.

“Who the hell are you, a comrade?… If I had known it was this far away in the first place, I wouldn’t have followed!”

“What are you talking about after learning everything there is to learn? Lesson fee, lesson fee.”

“Ikki, a damn monster…! “I miss you, Watcher…”

“Ugh, just hang in there you idiot. “I have no patience.”

“Are you saying my patience is bad for not beating you up yet…?”

Orange Altair was truly curious. If her own patience is bad, then whose patience is she good at?

“Wow, what a f*cking personality.”

“Who is looking at whom…!”

“I’ll go back right away after confirming the location. You have a longer range than me, right? “After confirming the location, we will return to land and snipe.”

“Sniping…? Are you planning to kill your comrade?”

“No, I plan to save it.”

Amundsen caught Orange Altair’s arrow. Bird of prey feathers. It was her arrow of detection that she had specially designed.

“Your ability is not archery, but the ability to create bows. “I know how to make arrows like exploding arrows or harpoons, but I can’t make things like this. That’s the realm of talent.”

“I feel uneasy because you suddenly praised me.”

“Shut up and listen, damn it. Anyway, you can make arrows with special abilities. So, try using those abilities.”

“Yes?”

“Ah, we’ve arrived.”

The weather suddenly darkened and the waves became loud. The wind was strong, and the flimsy raft swayed as if it might tip over at any moment.

Kugugugugung Palace. A roar was heard from somewhere. Orange Altair turned his gaze towards that place.

“Ah, ahhh….”

A huge whirlpool. A tornado the size of a soccer field was spewing high.

“My comrade is trapped in the tornado over there? “I’m in a lot of pain right now.”

“Hey, hey….”

“You make an arrow that will relieve the pain of your comrades.”

“Iike…..”

“In one word, make an arrow imbued with the power of healing.”

“Holy sh*t!!!!!”

Orange Altair shouted. Her cry was drowned out by the sound of the whirlpool splashing.

It was a journey she embarked on without much thought.

But somehow, she had a feeling that it would be a rather long journey.