I Don’t Want This Reincarnation

Having made the situation clear, we made our way through the fog to the monster. The monster floated in the air, looking straight ahead without even glancing at us.

“It’s huge.”

“There aren’t many that big.”

I turned my head and looked up at the monster. It was the biggest monster I’ve ever seen. Looking at it this way, it looked like it was about 10 stories taller than an apartment building.

Huuuu… huu… hiiik…

The sound of its breathing resounded, strained like its throat was being squeezed. In combination with its S+-grade energy, the sound aroused fear.

“First of all, I need one person to attract the attention of the monster… Who will do it?”

“I will do it.”

At Hong Si-ah’s words, Ha Tae-heon stepped forward. She nodded her head and moved her gaze to me.

“Great. Then, Ability User Han Yi-gyeol—in the video, I saw you were able to use your wind ability a bit here and there. Can you do the same now?”

“Yes, but we have to be careful. It’s difficult to watch over two people at once.”

“Okay. No need to worry; I’m not going to get hit that easily.” Hong Si-ah, who was ready to battle, smiled brightly as if she was in a very good mood. “It’s the first time I’m fighting against an S+-grade opponent. Deputy Master Ha Tae-heon, will you deal with it a bit and hand it over to me? Let’s see what level it is.”

Ha Tae-heon only nodded, face grim.

I hid behind a tree and used my ability on both of them. Huung, the white fog was scattered by the wind. Ha Tae-heon flew in first with his sword in hand.

When Ha Tae-heon came into view, the monster only showed some movement. Suuu, it turned its head as the sound of breathing continued.

Something appeared behind the mirror that was emitting pure white light. Long and sharp like thorns, it quickly grew into dozens.

“Be careful!”

At the same time as I hastily changed the flow of the wind, Ha Tae-heon used his ability to create a huge shield to block the attack.

Kiiing!

Dozens of spears of light flew toward Ha Tae-heon and Hong Si-ah with a sharp noise that pierced the ears. Kuuung, the ground shook as the monster’s attack, slowed down by my wind, hit the shield.

After confirming that all the spears had disappeared, Ha Tae-heon removed the shield and flew towards the monster and swung his sword. It accurately sliced through the monster’s neck, but it remained floating.

“……?”

Ha Tae-heon frowned and quickly stepped back. Even though it was clearly cut, blood didn’t splatter, nor did it scream.

Kuruk, kururuk…

With the sound of boiling sputum, the slice in its neck boiled and was restored to its original state.

“Maybe it has the ability to regenerate?”

My expression hardened at Hong Si-ah’s words. There were monsters with the ability to regenerate, but not so quickly.

‘…hold on. Something like this happened in the novel.’

Suddenly, the contents of the novel flashed through my mind.

I calmly organised my memories. When Ha Tae-heon entered an American gate, he encountered a monster similar to the one here—a banshee-like S-grade shaman monster.

‘How did he overcome it again?’

While I was in deep thought, Hong Si-ah joined in and swung her weapon at the monster. However, even when Hong Si-ah’s whip penetrated its heart and ripped off one of its arms, the monster did not budge. We couldn’t kill it like this.

I had to remember. While desperately digging through everything in my head, I finally came up with an important clue.

“The mirror.”

Yes. It was the mirror. I looked at the mirror floating above the monster’s head.

“It’s not regenerative.”

Those were illusions. Convinced, I exclaimed in haste, “Ha Tae-heon-ssi! The mirror!”

It was quite a distance, but my voice could still reach the SS-rank. As expected, Ha Tae-heon turned his head and looked at me.

The monster in the novel had a mirror embedded in its chest. Ha Tae-heon had stabbed the mirror, ending the illusions that had confused everyone.

“Attack the mirror!”

Just like the monster in the novel, it didn’t have a regenerative ability, it was all an illusion. If the mirror was broken, something would definitely change.

I lifted Ha Tae-heon’s body higher to make it easier to attack the mirror. When Ha Tae-heon, who immediately understood what I was saying, was about to swing his sword towards the mirror, the monster that had been standing still made a ripping sound.

Kkiiiii—!

“Argh!”

I twisted in pain—it was like I was stabbed in the ear with an awl. Ha Tae-heon and Hong Si-ah, who were closer, were also greatly shaken.

“Ah, hell… What… ugh!”

The monster swung its sword at tremendous speed toward Hong Si-ah, who was holding her forehead. Hong Si-ah managed to avoid it and raised the corners of her lips.

“Now we’re talking! It seems like what Han Yi-gyeol said was right.”

A sword the size of a house flew towards them, once again aiming at Hong Si-ah. Unlike what happened just now, Hong Si-ah wrapped her bright red whip around the monster’s sword. Like a prey squeezed to death by a snake, the sword gradually froze in place then cracked.

While Hong Si-ah was facing the monster, Ha Tae-heon once again moved toward the mirror.

When the tip of the sword stabbed into the mirror, a sharp rupture resounded loudly. And at the same time—

Kwaaang!

The mirror exploded, releasing a strong shock wave.

“Ha Tae-heon-ssi!”

“……!”

I was about to run toward Ha Tae-heon, who had crossed his arms over his face as he was flung back, but I was also caught up in an explosion. I quickly raised my ability.

“Gasp…!”

Kuung, at the same time as the heavy sound, I felt a dull pain in my back. Fortunately, I was protected by the wind so I wasn’t seriously hurt. As I struggled to sit up, I gazed at the sight before me, dramatically changed by the explosion.

The sky, which had been filled with white light, disappeared, and dark purple clouds spread out. All the coniferous trees where the explosion occurred had fallen down, a dark haze lingering over the soil floor.

Kiiiik—!

The monster screamed and twisted its body. Soon after, its face split into four parts like the petals of a flower, and a terrible stench spread through the air. I covered my mouth with the sleeve of the coat and looked around quickly.

“Ha Tae-heon-ssi! Are you okay?”

“Tsk…”

Fortunately, Ha Tae-heon got up not far away from me. He clicked his tongue angrily and wiped the dirt off his suit.

“Oof, I’ve never seen a mess as bad as this one.”

Like Ha Tae-heon, Hong Si-ah was covered in ash as she walked up to us from behind. Fortunately, she didn’t appear to be hurt either.

“Maybe the mirror was the core. I didn’t even think of that because the first attack came from the mirror.” Hong Si-ah grumbled, grabbing her whip and looking at the monster.

“Since the mirror is broken, the illusions should be gone now, right?”

“Perhaps.”

“I’ll have to check it out.”

Ha Tae-heon materialised a sword and blinked at me. Noticing the gaze, I lifted Ha Tae-heon and Hong Si-ah again and stepped back.

“Be careful of poison.”

Huung, Hong Si-ah, who flew up, looked at me and smiled. “I’ve been thinking this since before, but this ability really is good.”

“If you need my service again, please call me in as a mercenary any time.”

I thought this was the time for it, so I secretly tried to do some business. Fortunately, maybe because of my cute aegyo tone, Hong Si-ah only giggled and flew after Ha Tae-heon*.

As Ha Tae-heon and Hong Si-ah approached, the previously motionless monster trembled, and a black smoke seeped out of its split head, emitting a stench.

‘What the hell is that?’ I thought, keeping the sleeve over my nose and mouth. It could be poison, but unlike the purple powder from before, I didn’t feel any pain.

…maybe it only debuffed, and wasn’t a poison. Debuffing abilities were tricky—they could reduce your ability’s power or paralyse you, leaving you defenceless.

Kkiiiik!

Kururung, kwang!

As the monster howled creepily, white thunderbolts began to fall from the dark clouds above. Ha Tae-heon lightly dodged the monster’s attack and narrowed the distance between them.

Haaaak!

When the lightning-shaped monster’s sword and Ha Tae-heon’s sword were about to collide, a bright red whip wrapped around the monster’s sword. The monster’s sword, which had a crack in the centre, could not withstand this attack and was broken.

Ha Tae-heon quickly took advantage of the opportunity made by Hong Si-ah. Huuk, as the sword swung, the monster’s right wrist was cut off.

Kuung!

The severed hand fell to the ground, still holding onto the broken sword. Black blood poured from the stump, and the monster staggered.

“Ugh…!”

Hong Si-ah covered her mouth and her nose with her hand and hurriedly backed away from it. The stench emanating from its severed face was far worse than the black blood. As it was an S+-grade monster, Ha Tae-heon was okay, but it was fatal to Hong Si-ah.

“…my body feels weird. It’s a debuff ability.”

“Please stand back.”

Hong Si-ah calmly nodded her head. I used my ability a little more and changed the flow of the wind to prevent the stench from reaching them as much as possible.

Haaaak! Haak!

In the meantime, the monster’s tentacles that were moving painfully began to wriggle all at once. I was nervous about its behaviour, but then I saw something reflected in the broken mirror.

“That…”

There was a man, eyes closed, in a round egg filled with a slimy liquid. There were dozens of eggs and, in each of them, there were people.

Like me, Hong Si-ah had looked into the mirror and was startled. She shouted, “The party attendees!”

The tentacles gleamed white as they sucked something from the eggs. The ones in the eggs—their faces twisted in pain. Among them were Lee Joo-ha and Kim Na-yul.

Ha Tae-heon’s and Hong Si-ah’s faces hardened. The sense of anger in the air became overwhelming. It seemed that everyone, including those who disappeared after falling through the black hole, was held captive.

The flesh on the monster’s severed wrist absorbed the white energy from the tentacles and began to bulge, and in an instant, the hand was restored to its original state.

This time, it wasn’t an illusion; it really did have a regenerative ability.

“How annoying!”

Hong Si-ah swung her whip again, but she failed to push the monster back. Her movements were slow enough that even I could tell. The debuff had taken effect.

“Let’s change the strategy.” Ha Tae-heon, who looked at the situation calmly, said to Hong Si-ah, “I will draw its attention.”

Behind the monster was the flight of stairs that led downstairs, which Hong Si-ah had discovered. Ha Tae-heon pointed to it.

“Master Hong Si-ah. Cut off the tentacles and rescue the attendees.”

“…will you be okay?”

“Dealing with the monster is meaningless unless we cut off the tentacles.”

Hong Si-ah, contemplating for a while, nodded her head at his explanation. It was as he said—this situation could only be resolved if someone cut the tentacles.

“Okay. Hang in there. I will try to deal with it as soon as possible.”

“Yes.”