Chapter 69: The King in the Dark

After several minutes of rest, I slowly opened my eyes.

The first thing I saw was Elvera, still leaning quietly at my side. So-ah and Kim Gae-in were still asleep as well, their breathing steady, their faces finally free from tension.

I smiled.

Carefully, I lifted my hand and reached toward So-ah’s cheek. I pinched it lightly—not enough to hurt, just enough to wake her.

“Ouuuch…”

She groaned softly, her brows knitting together as she stirred.

I released her cheek immediately.

“Oppa… why did you do that?” she muttered, half-asleep.

“Just to wake you up.”

“Hmph!”

She puffed her cheeks in annoyance.

I chuckled quietly beneath my mask.

After that, I tried to stand.

My vision felt clearer now—no more blurriness clouding my sight. But even so, the pain in my chest still hadn’t faded. It was persistent, deep, like something gnawing from the inside.

My body felt weak.

As my legs wobbled, Min-seo quickly stepped forward and placed a hand against my chest, steadying me.

I gently held her hand where it rested.

“It’s okay… I’m fine.”

She looked unconvinced, worry still evident in her eyes, but she nodded and let me go.

Slowly, I climbed the stairs leading upward.

I glanced left and right, making sure the area was secure.

The four of them followed closely behind me.

“It looks like… both the villains and the heroes have already left,” I said quietly.

As I walked further, burned cars and shattered debris filled my view.

The battlefield had gone silent.

But I hadn’t forgotten my true objective.

Ji-hye.

The problem was—how was I supposed to find her?

As I thought about it, something suddenly clicked in my mind.

Ji-hye was a student.

A student at Seoul University.

That was it.

I turned back to look at them.

“Um… could you take me to Seoul University? I can’t use my powers at all right now.”

They exchanged glances, then smiled.

“If that’s what you want, oppa, then of course,” So-ah replied.

*Seoul University*

Inside the basketball court.

Elias sat comfortably as if on a throne.

A cruel, satisfied smile rested on his lips.

Before him, dozens of university students—and even professors—were kneeling on the floor, their heads bowed.

They looked as though they were worshiping him.

Elias leaned his head against his right hand lazily.

Beside him stood Ji-hye.

She was completely stiff.

Her eyes looked normal—but they were empty.

She didn’t move.

Didn’t blink.

She stood like a lifeless doll.

“It seems those pawns have already been defeated,” Elias said calmly. “I suppose I’ll have to deploy a few more.”

He chuckled softly.

Then he turned his gaze toward Ji-hye.

His smile widened.

“The world will kneel before the glorious Helena…”

*Back to Indigo*

Together with So-ah, Kim Gae-in, Elvera, and Min-seo, I ran toward Seoul University.

I was sure of it.

She was there.

When we arrived, we immediately hid inside the bushes near the campus grounds.

Carefully, we peeked out.

The university courtyard was swarming with villains.

Just as I suspected.

This was their base.

Whether I liked it or not, I would have to rely on them.

I turned toward my family.

“Alright. The plan is simple. I’ll sneak into the building. While I do that, I need you all to draw their attention away from me. That way, I can get inside without fighting.”

Their expressions lit up instantly.

“Of course! Anything for you!” they answered almost in unison.

Hearing that made my trust in them deepen even further.

“I’m counting on you.”

A few minutes later, Min-seo stepped out from the bushes and walked openly toward a group of large, muscular villains.

“Hey, muscle brains!” she shouted. “Come fight me!”

The villains turned toward her, then began charging.

At that moment—

A wall of blue fire erupted, blocking their path.

From above, So-ah hovered in the air, blue flames blazing from both of her hands.

From behind the fiery wall, Min-seo and Kim Gae-in leapt high.

Min-seo’s arm transformed into a blade of lightning.

Kim Gae-in formed wind daggers around her hands.

They shot forward at incredible speed, slicing through the villains—decapitating them one by one.

Kim Gae-in was locked in combat with one villain, completely focused.

She didn’t notice another villain approaching her from behind.

Just as the villain raised his weapon—

He froze.

Purple powder suddenly coated his body, suspending him in place.

The powder sharpened.

And then—

It sliced him apart.

Elvera’s power.

Kim Gae-in glanced back, smiled briefly, then returned her focus to the fight.

More villains poured in.

Watching from afar, I nodded.

They were handling it well.

“Good… this is my chance.”

I sprinted toward a back entrance that was no longer guarded.

I opened the door.

A quiet hallway stretched before me.

“So this is the famous Seoul campus… not bad.”

I was genuinely impressed.

Before coming to this world, I’d never even attended college. I had no idea what university life looked like.

Still, I couldn’t let my guard down.

Unbeknownst to me, cameras had been tracking my every movement.

I walked toward a door and opened it.

Inside was a small room—likely a professor’s office.

It was messy.

Signs of a struggle were everywhere.

I looked behind the desk.

Someone was there.

I approached carefully.

Suddenly, the person looked up.

Black eyes.

A small red dot at the center.

Before I could react, they leaped toward me.

I barely dodged in time.

They landed on the floor like a spider, snarling through clenched teeth.

Controlled.

They lunged at me again, claws flashing.

I blocked with my arm.

Pain flared.

My skin was sliced.

Those claws were razor-sharp.

They kept attacking relentlessly.

Again and again.

I dodged, sidestepped, endured.

Eventually, my patience snapped.

“This ends here.”

I jumped behind them and struck the back of their neck.

They collapsed instantly.

I looked down at their unconscious body.

“…Such terrifying manipulation.”

I left the room and continued down the hallway.

Soon, I reached a large door.

I opened it.

A basketball court.

The space was pitch black.

I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.

“It’s dark… even the window light doesn’t reach in here.”

Then—

Candles ignited one by one.

Light filled the court.

Revealing dozens of people.

All controlled.

Black eyes.

Red dots.

At the far end of the court, someone sat on a chair like a king on his throne.

He clapped slowly.

A wide grin spread across his face.

“Welcome! Welcome! Mr. Indigo~”

His voice echoed unnaturally, layered—like multiple voices speaking at once.

“You have entered a domain ten times more dangerous than death itself.”

His smile made my skin crawl.

Disgust and irritation surged through me.

No matter what—

I had to finish this quickly.

And find Ji-hye.

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